A/N: This takes place anytime before John dies.
Disclaimer: Supernatural isn't mine.
Before Mom died, before the grief and the hunting, you can remember. You know that more was lost that night than Sam understands, or Dad even realizes.
Sometimes, from out of no where a memory will rise up, and it's like getting sucker punched every time.
Mom is sleeping, but Dad wakes up as you come in their room, and he doesn't say anything just lifts the blanket up and lets you squeeze between him and Mom.
"I love you Daddy." You whisper, resting your head on his chest.
A big, warm hand smooths down you hair and settles on your back.
"Love you too." You don't hear the words so much as feel them rumble in his chest as he falls back asleep.
Those memories are hazy at best but the man in them is clear. He's unbroken, he's happy and to this day no other time or place has ever felt safer to you.
You feel sorry that Sam isn't able to remember Dad that way and even more so because Sam doesn't even realized that Dad had been any other way than broken.