The mid autumn air had chilled the cab of the truck a long time ago but still John Winchester sat, refusing to turn the engine over in case he gave himself away. He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting there waiting but he knew it had been a long time. It was times like this when he wished he still smoked if for nothing else than for something to do to pass the time.
Adjusting his weight, pulling his leather jacket closer to him hoping it would keep out the cold, he wished that time would speed up. All he wanted was for a glimpse so that he could be on his way. Just a glimpse so that he knew that everything was alright before he started the long drive to Arkansas.
Letting out a sigh, he checked his watch hoping that the dim light from the lamp post on the opposite side of the parking lot would be enough to illuminate the clock face.
No such luck.
Johns legs were beginning to fall asleep and he knew that he would not be able to begin his journey tonight. It would have to wait until after a few hours of sleep. A few hours and then he would be gone. But until then he had to wait.
And then it happened. The front door of the Library opened and he had to pretend that he was not anxious to see who it was. There had been a lot of people coming and going and every time he had hoped that it was Sam. So far he had not been lucky enough to see his son yet.
He was too far away to be sure who it was. There were two people, one of them a lot taller than the other. That didn't mean much. Sam was not the only tall person at Stanford.
As they walked they walked close together, the shorter one laying their head on the taller one's arm. Her long hair blowin in the wind. long blond hair in the soft glow of the parking lot light. That didn't mean anything either. There were plenty of blond girls, that did not mean it was Jessica.
He watched the two of them getting closer to him and he felt the familiar excitement of seeing Sam. Of knowing that his son was alright and that he was safe.
And then it happened. The light caught their features letting him see his son for the first time in a few months.
He was growing. Everytime he had seen him he had been taller, even if slightly. He had also cut his hair, it was short and seemed to flip outwards. And he was happy. The smile on his face as he dipped his head to talk to Jessica told him that. And Jessica, as always reminded him so much of Mary.
Mary. She would be so proud of Sam, he knew it. She would have loved Jessica and they would have come to visit him often. The apple pie life.
And Dean, he would have been able to live a diffrent life though what he would have been was a mystery to John. Dean was a soldier in the battle against the darkness and beyond that he had no idea about his what his oldest son would be doing if the past had been diffrent.
The thought made John's chest hurt. This was not the life he had invisioned for his sons and even though he was dissapointed in Sam for not taking up the mantle and doing what he had been trained to do his entire life, he couldn't hide the fact that he was proud of Sam. He was proud that he had gotten out of the life.
Sam and Jessica walked past him, on their way home, not noticing him at all. Blinded by their own happiness.
He waited for them to be far enough away that they wouldn't notice him, he started the truck. The motor roared to life, the heat kicking on automatically, and with out a glance backward, John pulled out of the parking lot and headed out of town.
Sam was safe, now it was time to hunt.