Chapter #3

Dean sipped his beer as the TV went to a commercial break. Sam was slightly dosing, but he shot up from his slumber when Cas popped into the room and Dean yelped in surprise. "Cas what's up with the blood?"

Cas looked down and realized that the monster's blood had gotten onto his trench coat. "Sorry." He snapped his fingers and they were made pristine again.

"Where did you go?" Sam asked.

"I just had to go handle something."

Sam stood up and tried to stretch but the ceiling was low and his finger grazed the plaster above him. "Do you want to start researching again?"

"No, Dean was right before. Crowley's not going to find Atlantis tonight. You two just enjoy Christmas, and I'll come back later."

"Nope." Dean said before Cas could fly away. "You should stay. It's almost time for the lamest Winchester tradition to start."

"What tradition is that?" Cas' worry sparked. There hadn't been a tradition before. What did he change to the time line?

"We watch the Christmas special at 3:00 am every year."

Sam joined his brother on the couch. There was still thirty minutes of shut eye he could have caught before this started, but since he was already awake he decided to join Dean. "How did that become a tradition" Cas asked?

"It was unexpected" Sam said. "It started like a normal Christmas where Dad left for a hunting trip, but then he suddenly showed up and we had one of the first real Christmas' together that I can remember."

Dean started laughing at the memory. "Do you remember the decorations he tried to put up, and the tree with almost all the pine needles that had fallen off?"

Sam was laughing too. "Yeah, and the stores must have been out because the colors weren't even right. I mean why were their purple and gold decorations?"

Cas slowly sat on the couch. "It's the thought that counts."

Dean nodded his head, calmed down, and leaned back. "It was the best Christmas we had, and after that Sam and I always stayed up until three just incase Dad decided to come again."

Sam still smiled. "Once in a while he actually would show up, not at three in the morning, but he'd make it back in time and we'd have Christmas."

"It was the best holiday we had with Dad" Dean said while he turned the volume up on the TV. The opening sequence for the movie was beginning.

Cas leaned back against the old couch and let the Winchester's happiness envelop him. He smiled and said, "Merry Christmas guys."

"Merry Christmas to you too Cas."