"You've got quite a young man, there."
Mary glanced up at the older woman who was sitting in the park bench across from her. "I'm sorry?" she said.
"I said, you have quite a young man, there," the woman repeated, nodding her head at Dean who was currently climbing to the top of the tallest slide in the playground.
"Thank you," Mary said. She never really knew what to say to a statement like that, but she was always was happy to have other people notice how great a kid Dean was. "I think so, too."
Woman leaned over, "I'm Jackie O'Connor. I'm just here visiting my sister."
"Mary Winchester," Mary said.
They watched in silence as Dean slid down, hitting the bottom with a flourish and then running over to a laughing Sammy who was laying in a stroller, watching him. They laughed together for a moment, then Dean said, "Watch this, Sammy!" and he headed back to the slide.
"It's not often you see someone his age so willing to play with a baby. " Jackie said.
"Dean loves being a big brother," Mary said. "That first day when we brought Sammy home we couldn't get Dean to leave the room, even though all Sammy did was sleep. I thought he'd tire of it by now but it's been four months and he'd still rather be with Sammy than do anything else. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Sammy adores him."
Jackie nodded. "I can see that."
Dean had made another trek up and down the slide, his and Sammy's laughter carrying clearly over to them. Then Dean took the stroller and pushed it around the walking path, making airplane noises and telling Sammy that he was a flying a "Sopwith Camel, just like Snoopy". When they rounded the corner, following the path out of sight as it looped behind a stand of trees, Jackie looked over at Mary.
"You're not worried about them?"
Mary frowned. "No. Why should I be?" She studied Jackie a bit more closely, looking for any sign that she might be dangerous.
The woman held up her hand, laughing. "I didn't think you should be. It's just most mothers get nervous when their children are out of their sight."
"I have nothing to worry about," Mary said. "Dean would never let anything happen to Sammy."
"Enjoy it while you can," Jackie said. "He'll grow out of it. They always do. Its just part of growing up."
"I don't know," she finally said. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."
The boys came into view again, Sammy still laughing his little baby laugh and Dean almost out of breath. Mary knew that Jackie was probably right, and she knew that it wasn't fair of her to wish that Dean would always be there to watch out over Sammy. It's just that she knew that there were so many things out in the world that could drive people apart, it was nice to think that love could keep her boys safe.
