#but like you toss that puffball hat on there and i know instantly. and i adore him. beyond words

[marshbarks]

being a multishipper who also adores all iterations of character designs really works out well for me

[anotherspnfanfic]

Kisses, Cookies, and Puppies

A/N: Christmas time fun! Word count: 2756

Betas: @banshee1013 and @muchamusedaboutnothing

Written as a Christmas gift for ThatOneWriter15 on Ao3. I *adore* her and she is a PHENOMINAL author... check her out!

~~~~~~

Dean leaned over the bed and kissed her forehead. “G’morning, beautiful. Merry Christmas Eve.” He peppered more kisses across her cheek, neck, and down to her partially-uncovered shoulder. “Wake up, sleepy-head.”

[[MORE]]

She groaned and mumbled, “Don’t wanna. Just one more hour.”

He laughed as he threw the covers off of her. “I have to leave for work. You told me to make sure you were up. You get two minutes, then I start tickling.”

“No! You’re mean. It’s freezing in here!” She shivered as she opened her eyes and glared up at him. He was already dressed and ready to leave. “Fine. You’re just lucky I love you… and that I have important things to do today.”

“Definitely the luckiest,” he agreed. “Still not going to tell me what these important things are?”

“And ruin the Christmas surprise? It’s like you don’t even know me.” She rolled out of the bed and popped up on her tiptoes to place a kiss to his lips. She headed into the bathroom, “Thanks for waking me up. I’ll see you later.”

“Love you!” he hollered as she closed the door behind her.

She took a quick shower. She threw on her favorite leggings and comfy oversized sweater. Last thing she added to her outfit was a Santa hat as she headed out the door to the shelter. It was where she spent most of her spare time. Arriving, she headed straight to the kennels which was where she found Garth.

“Hey. I didn’t think you were coming in today,” he greeted.

“Good morning to you too,” she teased. “I told you it was adoption day! I left all the stuff here. Can you help me load it into my car?”

“Of course!” He followed her to the office where she had stashed everything and they quickly loaded it all up.

Once they were done, she walked to the kennel with the eight-month-old dalmatian puppy. “You ready to get out of here, bud?” She smiled as she opened the door and attached the leash to his collar. “You’re gonna love these guys, I promise. See you later, Garth!”

She parked in front of the fire station, and grabbed her phone. She sent a text to Chief Singer to have him gather everyone in the conference room. She waited a few minutes until she received the green light.

She made her way through the halls as quietly as possible. Peering into the conference room, she started chuckling. Bobby was giving some sort of lecture and all the guys looked half asleep. “I asked you to gather them. Not bore them to death.”

Dean stood and walked over to her. He smirked as he flipped the white puffball on her Santa hat over into her face. “I don’t think he knows how to do one without the other. What are you doing here?” He knelt down to greet the puppy, “And who is this guy?”

Sam and Charlie quickly made their way over to pet the dalmatian puppy. Everyone else slowly gathered around them.

“Well I have been calling him Poky, because he reminds me of The Poky Little Puppy. But since he is the newest member of the department… I think you guys get to name him whatever you want.”

Sam’s head instantly snapped up, glancing at her and then to Bobby. “Wait. What?”

Bobby nodded. “Yeah, yeah. Merry Christmas. She would make a great hostage negotiator. I couldn’t say no.”

“Yes, and that adorable face had nothing to do with breaking you.” She pointed towards the puppy who was now attacking Sam with kisses. “What are you guys gonna name him?”

“I vote we not be those nerds that go with something like Smoky or Sparky,” said Charlie.

“How about Mjesto?” Sam asked. “It means ’spot’ in Croatian.”

Dean just stared at Sam for a moment. “You’re like a walking encyclopedia of weirdness.”

“What? It’s a good name.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “And what are we going to do with him when we all have to leave for a call?”

“That would be what the kennel in the back of my car is for. There is also a bed, bowls, some food, and a handful of toys he really likes. I’ve been planning this for weeks.” She squinted at Dean, daring him to have more doubts. “Oh! And I brought everything to make Christmas cookies too. Anyone want to help me bring everything in?”

Dean snatched her keys out of her hand and quickly headed outside with Cas, Benny, and Jo on his heels. “We got it. Meet you in the kitchen!”

They returned a few minutes later. Cas brought in the kennel. Benny had the large bag of dog food tossed over his shoulder. Jo carried in all the toys and the bedding. Dean appeared in front of her with the grocery bags. “Do I see pie ingredients in here, too?”

“You snooping through my groceries, Winchester?”

“It’s like you don’t even know me!” he threw her words back at her. “Of course I was snooping. I had to check for pie.” He winked at her.

“I could, maybe, be convinced to make a pie.” She leaned in close, brushing her nose against his.

“Convinced, huh?” Dean smirked before he pulled her closer and kissed her.

“Alright, can you two stop being nauseating now?” Sam teased.

Benny and Sam disappeared to set up the kennel. Jo and Charlie pulled out some of the toys and played with Mjesto. She and Dean headed into the kitchen to start baking.

She had just put the pie in the oven and started to mix cookie dough when the bells sounded, alerting them to a call. “Be safe, guys. Cookies might be ready when you come back.” Dean kissed her cheek quickly before jogging towards the trucks.

She spent the next hour and a half rolling out dough, cutting cookies, and baking them. She pulled the last pan out of the oven and moved the cookies to a cooling rack.

She decided to watch TV while she waited for the cookies to be cool enough to decorate. She sat on the couch and flipped on the TV, quickly picking the Hallmark-Christmas-movie-of-the-hour to watch. Slowly she slid down to lay across the overstuffed sofa. Mjesto jumped up to curl up beside her. She pulled off her Santa hat and placed it on Mjesto���s head. Soon after, they both fell asleep.

Dean couldn’t help the small smile upon seeing the two of them when they returned from the call. He knelt down beside the couch and brushed some hair out of her face.

She stirred and smiled at him, but it quickly faded. Immediately she felt a discernible weight in the room that hadn’t been there before.

“Hey, we’re back. I’m gonna take a quick shower. I’ll be back in a few,” Dean stated, barely above a whisper. He was out of the room before she could say another word.

Concerned, she turned towards the rest of the crew, “Rough call?”

Mjesto hopped off the couch. He went and placed his head on Sam’s knee as he wagged his tail slowly. Sam pet him absently, “Yeah. It was a house fire. Mom and the two kids should be okay. But Dad was in pretty bad shape, he might not make it.”

She stood and quickly gave each of them a hug. “You guys did everything you could. How is Dean?”

Cas and Sam both cringed slightly. “He got the older kid out, a little girl. She was about four.” Cas started. “It might have been a little too close to home. She kind of clung to his neck like a little spider monkey when he tried to pass her off to the medics.”

She gently placed a hand on Sam’s shoulder and squeezed comfortingly. “What about you?”

“I’m alright.” Sam gave her a small, reassuring smile. “You know I don’t remember that night, unlike him. I just wish I could do more to help him.”

“He just needs a distraction. I’ve got him.” She headed to the bathroom and found Dean had already finished showering. He had changed from his navy blue department tee to a light grey one. He was standing in front of the mirror, staring blankly at his reflection. She wrapped her arms around him from behind and hugged him tightly.

After a moment, he turned and wrapped his arms around her as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Her hand came up to run through the short hairs on the back of his neck. They stayed like that for several minutes before Dean spoke: “She was so scared. She kept asking for her daddy. She was the same age I was when—“ He cut himself off as he took a shuddering breath.

Her heart broke. She knew there was nothing she could say. Instead, she squeezed him a little tighter. “You guys did everything you possibly could. You got him out. He might be okay.”

He was quiet as he continued to hold her. She rubbed her hand up and down his back a few times. He took a deep breath before finally pulling away to look at her. “Yeah, you’re right.” He kissed her forehead. “Thanks.”

“Thanks? I didn’t do anything.”

“You’re here, that’s a lot.” He pulled her into another quick hug.

“You think you’re ready to go decorate some cookies?” she asked before smiling mischievously, ”We should probably hurry; before those vultures out there eat all the cookies and the pie,” she teased.

She giggled at the panicked expression that crossed his face. “That is not funny. They wouldn’t dare.”

He was already moving back towards the kitchen as she asked, “Are you sure about that?”

“My pie better still be in one piece!” Dean hollered down the hall.

“No one touched the pie,” Benny mumbled through a mouthful of cookie as they entered. “And that was absolutely the only cookie we stole.”

She glanced at the cooling racks and then around the room. Half of them were avoiding eye contact or trying to hide half-eaten cookies. She laughed, “Uh-huh, right. There’s definitely not half a dozen missing.” She laid out all the frosting colors and sprinkles across the counter. “Anyone wanna help decorate them?”

“I’m gonna take Mjesto for a walk around the block,” Sam announced.

“We’ll help decorate,” said Jo as she and Charlie walked over.

“I would help. But, I would rather spectate while I eat this pie that smells heavenly.” Dean grabbed a fork and hopped up to sit on the counter. He picked up the pie, took a huge bite and moaned happily.

She wiped some excess filling off his lip with her thumb, “I swear you need a bib to be within five feet of a pie.”

“I do not,” he defended before turning to Benny. “You gonna decorate some? I want to see your artistic talents.”

“Only if I get to eat the ones I decorate.”

A few minutes later Dean set his pie on the counter and moved to look over Benny’s shoulder. “What is that even supposed to be?”

“Uh, it’s a pirate,” Benny explained.

“Looks more like a vampire with those fangs. Maybe a vampire pirate. A vampirate!” Dean smiled proudly at his new word mash.

“Oh, shut up. I don’t see you doing any better at this.”

As she watched them bicker, she couldn’t help but think back to when she had first met them.

~~

Three years earlier:

There was a light knock at the door as it was pushed open. “Fire Department. Someone call 911?”

“Over here,” she called from the next room.

The two medics made their way over. They noticed two puppies in a pen close by. She was sitting on the floor leaning against a cabinet, head tipped back and eyes closed tightly as she took deep breaths through her nose. She had a bunch of paper towels gripped firmly against her forearm. As they approached, she opened her eyes to look up at them.

“Hey, I’m Dean, this is Benny. Dog bite? Can you tell us what happened?” He had short spiky hair that was a bit messy as if he’d run his fingers through it a few times that day.

“I’m so sorry. This is dumb, and it’s Christmas. You guys probably have some nice meal waiting for you back at the station and I go and interrupt with nonsense,” she began to babble. “I was playing with the puppies, and it’s not his fault. He’s just a baby and doesn’t know his own strength. He got me just right with those sharp baby teeth. And I didn’t restock the first-aid kit, but it won’t stop bleeding and—” she paused as she ran out of air.

Dean took the opportunity to interrupt, “Okay, it’s okay. It’s kind of our job. Christmas or not.” He smiled as he knelt down and reached for her arm, “May I?”

She nodded and then looked toward Benny, who was now kneeling on her other side. He reached out for her other arm so he could check her pulse. She closed her eyes again as she felt the paper towels removed. “Little squeamish?” Benny asked.

“Nope. Not usually. Only when it’s my own blood, apparently. I was going to just wrap it and drive myself to the ER, but I didn’t have any gauze. Plus, I was trying to rinse it in the sink and I got super dizzy, which has yet to pass.”

“Like I said, it’s what we’re here for. Better you call than pass out while driving,” Dean justified. “I know he is hard to look at, but just focus on Benny over there.”

“It’s gotta be easier than lookin’ at you,” Benny drawled. “Little pinch, darlin’,” he warned only a second before he placed an IV.

She risked a peek, squinting one eye open to glance between them as they teased each other.

“How’s the pain?” Dean asked.

“Not terrible. My fingers feel kind of tingly, though. I don’t think that’s the bite, though, because this hand is tingly too. Started the same time as the dizziness.” She flexed the hand closest to Benny as she explained. She finally opened both eyes fully and focused on Dean and the giant smirk on his face. “What is so amusing?”

He locked eyes with her for a moment before his focus returned to the bandage he was applying. “Nothing. Just your answers are… thorough.”

“Sorry. I ramble when I’m anxious. And when I’m excited. Sometimes when I’m tired.”

He glanced up at her again, eyebrows raising in curious amusement.

“Okay, I just talk a lot, in general.” She rolled her eyes at him.

“One last, really important question. The guilty puppy all up-to-date on shots?” Benny asked.

“Yeah. They both got their last ones two weeks ago,” she explained.

“That’s good. Alright, still pretty dizzy, or do you think you can walk?” Dean asked.

“Uhh, I think I’m good. I’ll walk.” They both helped her to stand.

“You sure? Not too dizzy?” Dean asked again.

“Not too bad. It’s not that far, I can make it.”

He took her hand in his and placed his other gently on her lower back. “Just let me know if that changes.”

She leaned into him for support. “You smell amazing,” she blurted, instantly blushing. ”I mean, sorry, that’s probably inappropriate or something.”

His eyes lit up with his smile. “No, it’s fine. If I said ‘so do you,’ that would probably be inappropriate. And, uh, thank you.” As he helped her up into the ambulance, he glanced at his partner, “Benny, you’re driving.”

Benny looked between them and smiled, “Sure thing, brother. Let’s go.”

~~~~~

“Sweetheart?” Dean’s voice snapped her out of her memory.

“Huh? Oh, sorry. Did you say something?” She turned to look at him, finding he was now right behind her.

“Are you okay?” He asked, concerned eyes boring into hers. “You kinda zoned-out over here.”

She smiled. “I’m perfect. I was just thinking about the day we met.”

“My favorite day. Except for the part that you were hurt.” He lifted her arm and planted a gentle kiss on her small, faded scar.

“One of the best Christmases ever.” She slid her arms around his waist and pulled him into a hug. She took a deep breath. “You still smell good.”

“So do you.” He kissed the top of her head before she pulled away to finish decorating the cookies.

Tags: @deanwasscaredbyacat @babypieandwhiskey