Dean and the Impala at different points in his life. Pre-Series to Swan Song. Possible kinda vague spoilers for 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon.
A/N: Just a little thing I've been working on for a while. I started this before Swan Song so I am not ripping off Kripke. Ok maybe I am a little bit. Is it just me or is the grammar check thing on MS Word an idiot?
Disclaimer: I don't own the Winchester boys. They belong to Eric Kripke. The Impala remains the property of Dean Winchester. All I know of cars I have gained from Top Gear. So really all I've got is "Some say he only knows two facts about ducks and both of them are wrong. All we know is he's called The Stig".
1983 (Age 4)
On a peaceful Saturday afternoon in Lawrence Kansas, Dean could be found in the backyard of the Winchester family home, lying in the dirt, oblivious to what his mother had told him countless times about not getting his brand new shirt dirty. But as usual the four year old had disregarded his mother's advice.
Dean was lying on his stomach playing with plastic army men. He had set them up so that there were two groups facing each other. He held one in each hand and was making then attack each other making gun noises.
"Pew pew pew pew" Dean exclaimed, the soldier in his left hand "firing" at the one in his right. Then the right hand soldier let out a yell and fell over dead, which Dean signified by dropping him on the ground. Dean let out a small giggle before the soldier took aim at the opposing army and managed to take out four more of the enemy. Dean was totally immersed in his game until he heard a bang come from the garage followed by swearing.
Abandoning his plastic soldiers Dean went to investigate the noise. He walked down the pathway between the house and the garage and peered around the garage door. The Impala was parked in the garage with its hood open. Dean ventured further into the garage and saw his father leaning against a work bench rubbing his head.
"Daddy you alright?" Dean asked. John looked up and smiled when he saw Dean standing there.
"Yeah son just hit my head." John beckoned for Dean to join him. Dean walked over to him and tried to peer into the Impala's engine, but being only four he couldn't quite see. John lifted him up and pulled a stool over so he could stand on it.
"What are you doing Daddy?" Dean inquired full of curiosity.
"Just giving her a tune up. I heard a rattle when I went out to get milk this morning" John explained.
"Why is the car rattling Dad?" Dean asked.
"Well it could be a few things. I think it's probably an out of tune carb" Dean nodded and John continued.
"Alright. See there" he pointed to a part of the engine. Dean nodded again. "That's the valve cover. Inside are the parts of the head." John reached over to the tool box sitting on the bench and grabbed a socket wrench.
"With me so far Dean?" He asked. Dean nodded his head vigorously. John pointed to another part. "That's the intake manifold and on top is the carburettor".
Dean nodded and repeated "Carburettor" softly to himself as though determined to commit it to memory.
John offered Dean the wrench and said "Here you go son, get in there".
A few hours later Mary walked into the garage with baby Sammy on her hip wondering where her husband and eldest son had disappeared to for the afternoon. She stopped at the doorway and watched John and Dean leaning over the car, John explaining how it works and Dean listening like his life depended on it.
"So this is where you two got to" Both John and Dean looked around when Mary spoke.
"Mommy, Daddy's teaching me how to fix the car" Dean exclaimed, excitement obvious in his voice.
"I can see that" she said smiling as Dean continued to tell her about what he and John had been doing
"..but Daddy said I can't drive it til I'm bigger, but I think I'm big enough and it doesn't look that hard to drive. I'm bigger than Sammy, isn't that big enough?"
"You have to wait a bit longer to drive the car Dean. Perhaps when you can see over the dashboard" Mary teased Dean. "Now go inside and wash your hands before dinner" She told Dean.
When Dean ran out of the garage into the house Mary eyed John "You two have fun?" John nodded
"I'm glad you came back John" He avoids looking into her eyes
"Well like you said, I've got two boys here" he looks up at her "You know I love you and I love them. It's just…"
"Sometimes you act before you think? End up going on a two day bender with Jim, Jack and José for no particular reason?" Mary asks.
John looks down again. "Well I'm here now, that's what's important" John then smirks at Mary "Jim, Jack and José?"
Mary smiles back "Shut up"
"You've been watching too much day time TV" he teases her
"Don't think this gets you off the hook" Mary says trying to keep her face straight, but failing. "We'd better get inside before Dean manages to make a mess."