~*****~
"This is where Mrs. Wreath lives, huh?" Dean hums curiously. "Oh, can't you just feel the evil Pagan Vibe?"
I grimace. "This job is going to kill my love for Christmas." I mention as I follow Dean up to the house.
"Join the club." Sam responds as Dean uses the door knocker.
A cheery little woman opened the door with an award winning smile covering her face. "Yes?" She chirped.
"Please tell me you're the Madge Carrigan who makes the Meadowsweet Wreaths." Dean asks.
"Why, yes, I am!" She grins proudly.
"Ah! Bingo!" Dean laughs.
"Oh my goodness, we were just admiring your wreaths," I mention. "Over at Mr. Sylar's place, just the other day."
"Oh, you were? Well, isn't that Meadowsweet just the finest smelling thing you ever smelled?" Madge exclaimed.
"Oh, yes, I love it so much, but you see, the problem was, is Mr. Sylar had sold out when I convinced my poor husband to pony up the money for it." I explain.
"Oh, fudge!" She cried.
"You wouldn't happen to have another one that we could buy from you?" I ask meekly.
"Oh, no, I'm afraid those were the only ones I had for this season." Madge admits.
I give her a display of pushing my lower lip out in disappointment. "Hey, tell me why did you decide to make them out of Meadowsweet?" Dean asked.
"Why the smell, of course!" Madge cheers as an older man comes down the stairs. "I don't think I've smelled anything finer!"
"Yeah, you mentioned that," I hum softly.
"What's going on, honey?" The older man asks.
"Well, just this nice couple asking about my wreaths, dear." Madge states.
The man hums and gives us a wide smile. "Oh, the wreaths are fine. Fine wreaths. Oh, care for some peanut brittle?" He offers a small bowl to us.
Dean reaches for it, but I grasp his hand. "Now, honey, you remember what the doctor said." I express. "We're okay, but thank you for the offer. Well, have a good evening, you two~" I chirp before tugging Dean along. "Start the car before I charge in there empty handed." I express to Sam as we climb in.
~*****~
Dean gazed at me skeptically as I sat on our bed with a bag of jerky. "What?" I ask irritably.
"You hate jerky." Dean comments as he continues to make the stakes we need.
I roll my eyes. "I like jerky. But just the turkey kind." I mention.
Dean shudders. "I don't know how you can stomach that. It's too... healthy."
"I knew it!" Sam suddenly shouts. "I knew something was way off with those two."
"What'd you find?" I ask curiously.
"The Carrigans lived in Seattle last year, where two abductions took place right around Christmas. They moved here in January." Sam explains. "All that Christmas crap in their house wasn't boughs of Holly. It was Vervain and Mint."
"Pagan stuff?" Dean asks.
"Serious Pagan stuff." I nod.
"So, what, Ozzie and Harriet are keeping a Pagan God hidden underneath their plastic covered couch?" Dean asks.
"I don't know..." Sam hums. "All I know is we gotta check 'em out. So, what about Bobby? He's sure evergreen stakes will kill this thing, right?"
I hum. "If there's one thing I know, it's always trust Bobby." I say. "I call Martha Stewart."
"What, no! I got Martha Stewart!" Dean cried.
Sam just chuckled and shook his head.
~*****~
As soon as night fell, Sam, Dean, and I headed back to the Carrigan house. Thankfully, these freaks had the Christmas music going, that way it would mask the sounds of my pick digging into their door. Easing our way in, I pull out my stake. "See?" Dean whispers as we move to the living room. "Plastic."
I just glare at him while shaking my head. I move away from him and start searching. My stomach starts growling at the sight of the kitchen table. I grimace and press my nose into the sleeve of my jacket. "Stupid... kid..." I murmur irritably as I palm at my belly. I gaze around until I settle onto the door besides the fridge. "Hey, guys." I hiss.
Venturing down into the basement, my stomach roils at the sight of all the body parts littering the floors. I can't even shriek as something grasps at the back of my head and slams it into the wall. The last thing I see is Madge holding Sam up by his throat against the wall.
My nose burns against the scent of something overly sweet. My head snaps up, my gaze trailing around the disgusting room I had been tied in. "Oh, goodness, we thought you'd sleep through the entire dinner~" Madge cooed.
"Oh, god-- let me guess, you and Ronnie Aldritch are the pagan gods, huh?" I ask irritably. "Two? Just my luck-- wait, where are Sam and Dean!"
"Oh, now don't you fret, dear. They're down in the kitchen. You, well, Edward and I were gonna save you for desert~ We just love a feast with a surprise filling!" Madge coos. "Now, I'm going downstairs to get some meadowsweet-- you know we're just sticklers for rituals!"
"Hey! You bitch! Let me out of these things!" I shout at her as I tug at the ropes binding my hands together. I hear Dean and Sam shouting downstairs. "No!" I shout again and tug as hard as I can. I hardly recognize the doorbell ringing. My arms tighten under the pressure and the ropes snap. The two are already walking back towards the kitchen when I barrel down the upstairs hallway. With the stakes in the basement, there was only one more option. I basically tackle the tree as I get down the stairs.
"Lottie!" Dean barks as he and Sam tug a cabinet in front of the door.
"No time!" I shout back and topple the tree, my hands reaching in and easily tugging a thick branch out. "Here!" I toss it to Dean and reach in for more. With two more branches, the Gods have broken through. Dean is already fighting with Edward, leaving Madge to Sam and I.
"You little thing... I loved that tree." Madge chirps in disappointment.
I groan. "Oh, shut it, Martha Stewart." I snap and surge forward. Madge's eyes widen in alarm as I shove the branch through her gut.
"MADGE!" Edward screams. Dean takes his chance and finishes him off.
Dean surges towards me and starts checking over me for injuries. "Merry Christmas, guys," I mention breathlessly. "Can we get out of here?"
Dean chuckles breathlessly and nods. "Yeah... You good, Sammy?"
"I'm good... can't say the same for my finger." Sam mentions as he holds up his hand, his finger shaking slightly from the missing nail. I choke back the gag and storm towards the door.
~*****~
My fingers are tugging at the small pendant I'd gotten from Sam years ago. "You okay, baby?" Dean asks as he finds me in the gas station.
I hum softly and nod. "Yeah... sorry, just thinking... Got everything you need?"
Dean holds up the beer and smiles. "Yep!" I smile and kiss his cheek. "As soon as we get back, I'm gonna give you a massage. I meant what I said, Lottie, you look exhausted." Dean explains.
"I'm fine. But thank you. I'll reciprocate with that bendy pose you like so much." I mention with a chuckle.
Dean whistles. "Sounds like a Merry Christmas to me!" Dean laughs. He sighs softly and presses into my side as we travel to the cashier. "How about we head up to New York tomorrow. Bring Sam along." I nod quickly. "What's the matter? You're quiet."
I shrug. "Dean... I know it's kind of... Your years all most up..." I mutter softly. "I just... I wanna appreciate all the time we have right now..." Dean's expression changes for just a second, but it returns to normal before I can mention it.
Dean nods before kissing my head and holds my door open. With the pagan gods finally dead, the snow begins to fall in Michigan. Normally, I'd be all over spending time outside, just appreciating the weather, but all I wanted to do was spend all my time indoors with him.
I give a grateful sigh as we reach the hotel and head to the warm confines. "Hey! You get the beer!" Sam calls out as Dean leads me inside. My eyes widen as I gaze at the work he's done. There's a tree made out of air fresheners, lights hung up, soft music echoing out, and even a cute banner.
"What's all this?" Dean wonders aloud.
"What do you think it is?" Sam asks with a glass of eggnog in his hand. "It's Christmas!"
Dean's silent for a moment. "What made you change your mind?" Dean asks curiously.
Sam doesn't answer, but instead hands Dean a glass of eggnog. "Here! Try the eggnog." Dean takes it and furrows his eyebrows. "Let me know if it needs more kick."
Dean takes a sip, and coughs after his eyes widen. I start to giggle. "No, I think we're good."
"Yeah?" Sam laughs.
"Yeah."
"Good! Well, uh, have a seat." Sam hums before handing me a glass. I give him a pointed look while Dean sinks down onto the couch. "Just drink it, it's uh-- special." He quickly states as I sink down by Dean. I take a hesitant sip, and I'm pleasantly surprised by the lack of alcohol. "Let's do Christmas stuff, or whatever."
"All right, first things first." Dean chuckles as he reaches into the bag on the coffee table and pulls out two gifts. "Merry Christmas, Sam."
"Where'd you get these?" Sam asks as he takes them.
"Some place special." Dean states. Sam just gazes at him before turning it on me.
"The gas mart down the street." I answer impishly. Sam laughs and gazes down at the packages. "Open them up, ding dong."
"Well, great minds think alike, Dean." Sam mentions as he reaches under the couch and tugs out more gifts.
"Really?" Dean asks as he gazes at the comic section it's wrapped in.
"You really... shouldn't have." I mention as I lightly shake it.
Sam opens his first gifts and starts laughing. "Yeah! Skin mags! And...." He unwraps the next one and I start guffawing. "Shaving cream!"
"You like?" Dean asks.
"Yeah... Yeah." Sam smiles.
Dean opens up his two gifts and laughs. "Hey, look at this. Fuel for me, and fuel for my baby!"
"What a strange Christmas." I hum happily.
"Open your present." Sam said.
I purse my lips and rip the paper open. "Ooh, hey--" I laugh as I hold up a multipack of ramen. "Are you telling me I need to make doctored up noodles again?"
Dean grabs it and laughs. "Yeah, that stuff is awesome! I can't believe you remember that."
"Dean, the last time she made it, we ate until we got sick." Sam reminds him.
I shake my head and offer Sam a smile. "Thanks, Sam. These are awesome."
"Merry Christmas, guys." Dean says as he holds up his glass of eggnog.
"Merry Christmas." I echo.
"Yeah... Merry Christmas." Sam clinks his glass against ours before we've encased in silence. "Hey... Dean." Sam starts softly. I curl into Dean's side as he leans against the couch, his eyes lingering on his brother to continue. Sam fights for the right words, but sighs in the end. "Do you feel like watching the game?"
"Absolutely." Dean hums.
"All right." Sam chuckles.
We watch the game in silence, just enjoying each other's presence for Christmas. And everything just seems so right.