I Won't Be Home for Christmas

Dean squealed as he dropped his arms into the water before splashing and kicking at bubbles, covering his Uncle Jared in suds and soaking him from head to toe. He giggled as Jared hurriedly rinsed the toddler shampoo out of his hair before he smoothed the ash blond strands out of Dean’s face.

“You are one messy bather.” Jared commented as he slumped against the side of the tub and continued to watch Dean splash around and throw toys out of the bath. “Have you had enough yet?”

“I all clean.” Dean grinned before he slapped at the water.

“Well come on then, your mother has dinner ready and I don’t think she’d like me very much if I let you become a prune.” Quickly getting to his feet, Jared placed his hands under Dean’s arms and lifted him up and out of the bath before he placed him on his feet on the bath mat and grabbed a small towel to dry him off with. Dean was giggling as Jared scrubbed at his hair with the towel before pulling it away and laughing when Dean’s hair stood up fluffy. He quickly dried the rest of Dean off before helping him into his pajamas. When the little boy was dressed, they went down stairs and walked into the kitchen just as Jess and Emily were setting the table.

“All cleaned up little guy?” Emily asked with a wide smile.

“Yes.” Dean beamed before he rushed to climb up onto one of the seats.

“Looks like you had a bath as well.”

“Two for one.” Jess commented with a giggle.

“Have I got time to change out of these?” Jared asked as he pointing to his wet clothes.

“Two minutes. You’re on the clock soldier.” Jess tapped her wrist as if indicating a watch before she turned to stir something that was simmering on the stove. What ever it was, it smelt amazing, Jared mused.

“He is such a goof ball.” Emily shook her head in good humor as Jared hurried from the room and up stairs to change.

“Yes, he is. But that’s why we get away with our wonderful affair.” Jess tried to hide her amusement by raising her eyebrows and biting her top lip.

“Huh,” Emily played along as she stepped up behind the chair Dean was sitting on before she wrapped her arms around him and smothered him in kisses, causing him to wriggle around and squeal in joy. “I’m biding my time. When this one is old enough, I intend on making him my gardener. And by gardener I mean slave to my wistful fantasies.”

“You’ve got another twenty five years to wait.”

“All in good time.” Emily cackled, causing Dean to try and copy her.

“You sounds like a witch ony Em-em.” Dean grinned before he shuffled in his seat to sit straight on as his mother placed his dinner in front of him.

“That’s because she is.” Jared laughed as he walked in, fully dressed in dry clothes, before he sat next to Dean and gave him a soft nudge. “She lives on a big hill in a house made of gingerbread, surrounded by dead trees and horrible monsters, and she’ll eat you if you’re naughty.”

“Oh stop it, you’ll give him nightmares!” Emily smacked Jared up the side of the head before she gave him his dinner.

“Hey, you gets more then me!” Dean frowned at his little plate of food then at Jared’s piled up plate.

“That’s because your uncle Jared is what we call a,”

“A pig.” Emily nodded with a grin.

“I was going to say troll.” Jess waved it off with a laugh as she sat across from Jared and set about cutting Deans dinner up for him. “But which ever, he needs a lot more fuel then you Dean. You wouldn’t be able to eat that much. Not now anyway. When you’re bigger, you’ll need a lot more food then this.”

“When I big like daddy?” Dean grinned and attacked a piece of carrot with his fork.

“Exactly.” Jess muttered as she placed the knife down and stared at her food. They ate in near silence, the sounds of cutlery scraping over plates the only sound that filled the ‘dining room’. When they finished, they cleared the table and went into the living room. Dean dropped to the ground and instantly set about destroying his Lego castle. Jared laughed as he sat next to the little boy and began building a new city while Emily and Jess sat on the couch and talked idly as the TV flashed images in the corner.

“Look mommy, a truck on TV!” Jess stopped her talking to look at the television screen in time to see a military lorry zoom down a thin strip of broken up road. Men in uniforms, guns held against their chests, sat in the back section waiting for action.

“Honey, turn it up.” They all went silent as Dean turned the sound up on the TV, the voice of the news reporter filling the room.

“Artillery has been doubled in an attempt to halt all enemy activity. We’ve been given reports that on Tuesday at five pm, an attack on unit, Delta 4066, left fifteen soldiers in critical but stable condition, five of which were air lifted out and rushed back to M.A.S.H with severe internal and arterial bleeding. This attack left seven others dead, one of which, a high ranking Lieutenant, we believe was deployed only several weeks prier to this brutal attack.”

“Jared, turn it off!” Emily ordered as she watched the color drain from her best friends face. Jared leaned forward and shut the TV off before getting up from his spot on the ground, going to the couch and lifting a now hyperventilating Jess from her seat and carrying her from the room. Dean watched in confusion, his little eyebrows drawn into the center as he stood with a T-Rex action figure held in both hands.

“What’s wrong with mommy?”

“Come on Dean,” Emily got up and rushed to the little boy’s side before leaning down to his level. “Have you written your letter to Santa yet?

“No.”

“Well you better come with me and hurry, he’ll be coming tonight!”

“You think Santa will still gets it by time?” Dean gasped and hugged the T-Rex.

“If we focus on the letter now and get it done as quickly as possible and on the mantle. I’m sure he’ll get it. You also have to hang your stocking.”

“My stockings over there!” Dean rushed over to it and lifted the large Ben Ten stocking in the air. “It’s the best!”

“That’s such an awesome stocking!” Emily grinned as she studied it. “When I was little, all I had was a Barbie stocking.”

“Barbie is for girls.” Dean waved it off and made an expression that had Emily laughing out loud.

“It’s true. Now come on young man, you have a letter to write.” Emily steered the little boy into the kitchen and helped him up into one of the seats before she searched for some paper, an envelope and some crayons.

“Does mommy and you and uncal Jayed get to write one?”

“We’re a bit grown up honey; Santa has a lot of little children to shop for let alone us adults making it harder for him.”

“I thinks you should. You looks after me, and I want you to write one.”

“Alright, I will.” Emily laughed as she handed him some paper and the tray of crayons. After selecting one very carefully, Dean set about writing his letter just as warily as he did the selection of his crayon. Emily smiled before she two picked a pastel, a chipper purple, and started her letter.

“Do you think Santa could bring prestants for baby?” Dean tapped his baby blue pastel to his lips and thought it over, causing Emily to chuckle.

“I’m sure if you asked him he will.” A few minutes past of quiet, the only sounds coming from Dean as he mumbled over his words. With a triumphant cheer, Dean held up his finished letter and grinned.

“All done.”

“Can I have a look?” Emily held out her hand and laughed when Dean snatched the letter back against himself and eyed her suspiciously.

“You won’t tell anyone? I don’t want them stealing my wishes!”

“It’s our little secret.” Emily winked at him, causing him to giggle and all but jump over the table to sit in her lap. Once comfortable, Emily lifted the letter up in front of them and smiled. “Would you like to read it?”

“No, it otay. You can read.” Dean was resting back against her, his hands twirling her hair in his fingers as he stared on with tired eyes.

“Dear Santa,” Emily started. “Please bring my daddy home. I don't want him to be hurt. I hear mommy crying some nights and it makes me sad. I don't want him to be fighting, not anymore. I don't want much, just my daddy and mommy to be happy and with me. Merry Christmas Santa. From Dean. xoxo.” Emily read it softly into Dean’s ear, her emotions causing her voice to tighten in her throat. “That’s a lovely letter Dean.”

“You have to turn over.” Dean grabbed the paper and turned it around.

“Well haven’t you been busy.” Emily laughed before she cleared her throat and continued reading. “Also, Santa, because I was a good boy all year, could you please bring me a Ben Ten bike? I really want one and I've been really good. But only if you want to. I'll leave you cookies and milk. Mommy says the Reindeer's have to have carrots because cookies and milk isn't good for them. So I'll leave carrots too. I love you Santa. And could you please give my little brother something? He isn't born yet, but mommy says he will be soon. I've never had a little brother. I really want one. So maybe you could give him a Ben Ten bike too. I could teach him how to ride. I have to go now Santa. Goodnight.”

“Do you think he will?” Dean looked up with hopeful eyes.

“I’m sure, because you’ve asked so nicely, he’ll try his very hardest to get you everything you want. Now come on, we’ll go and get you cleaned up then we’ll hang your stocking and tuck you into bed.”

“Do I has to brush my teeth?” Dean mumbled as he walked, slouched, down the hall.

“Yes, if you don’t Santa will know and he won’t think you’ve been good.” Dean gasped and hurried up the stairs. He was climbing onto his little stool when Emily walked in. She brushed her teeth along side him, made a game of it so he’d find it fun instead of boring. Once he was all washed up, she carried him down stairs to the living room and helped him place his stocking up. “Looks good to me.”

“Does you read to me now?” Dean asked as he watched Emily placed his letter, along with hers, on the mantle.

“Of course.” She smiled before she turned him for the kitchen. “But you’re forgetting something.”

“Cookies and milk!” Dean cheered.

“And what for the reindeer's?”

“Carrots. Because milk it bad for tem.”

“Very good.” Emily got everything from the fridge and the cupboard before helping Dean set it out on the small table near the Christmas tree. Once satisfied, Emily carried Dean back to his bedroom, laid him on his bed and went to his bookshelf to search for his Christmas book. Lying next to him on the bed, Emily opened the book to the first page and started the tale.

“Hey little guy.” She paused as Jared stepped into the room. He grinned wide as he moved to lie on the other side of the little boy. “Story? Great, I’m just in time.”

“Without any interruptions this time.” Emily laughed as Dean giggled and snuggled up next to his uncle. She began the tale again, read the way you did to little children, speaking in different tones for the different characters. By the time she was finished, having read the last page and shut the book, Dean was fast asleep with his face buried against Jared’s chest. They both moved slowly and silently as they tucked him in before they stepped out of his room and shut his door slightly. They didn’t speak until they were in their room, the door closed.

“How is she?” Emily asked in a hushed voice.

“Not good. When I finally managed to get her to breath right she burst into tears.” Jared shook his head and rubbed his temples. “She ended up crying herself right to sleep.”

“At least she’s asleep.” Emily sighed. “I’ll get up early to start breakfast. Knowing Dean, he’ll be up at the crack of dawn, bouncing around with excitement.”

“His presents are in the cupboard under the stairs.” Jared murmured as he stripped his shirt and threw it onto the chair across the room. “I’ll get cleaned up and what not then I’ll go down and get his presents out.”

“He wanted his father.”

“Huh?”

“He wants his father for Christmas.” Emily sniffled as she sat on the edge of her bed. “We wrote letters to Santa. He wants Jensen back for his mother.”

“Jesus.” Jared rubbed his face.

“Along with a Ben Ten bike for him and his little brother.” Emily chuckled as she wiped at the tears that fell.

“Boys will be boys.” Jared wrapped his long arms around his wife and gently rocked her side to side. “We’ll need to keep Dean busy, keep him focused on Christmas.”

“We need to keep Jess focused on her little boy. She needs to stay calm; it won’t do her or her baby any good if she has another panic attack.”

“You do breakfast; I’ll set everything up and keep Dean entertained. I doubt Jess is going to be up and about early, and if she is I doubt she’ll be chipper.”

“Don’t underestimate her Jared.” Emily exhaled.

“She just found out she’s never going to see her husband again Em, Christmas is basically ruined for her. But she’ll shove it all aside and put on a smile for Dean.”

“Yes, she will. But we’ll need to be ready to catch her if she falls.” Emily patted Jared on the back before she got to her feet and went to the bathroom. Jared looked around, feeling completely useless before he scratched his head through his mop of hair and left the room to gather Dean’s presents.