Summary: If he made it to graduation, if he made it four years without anything supernatural, he would be in the clear. Then, and only then, he would ask Jess to marry him.
Episode Tag: Sometime during Season 1
Disclaimer: I own nothing… if I did I would treat them a lot nicer than their current owners.
A Constant Reminder
When the firefighters had pulled it from the wreckage he had been grateful, elated even, to have something tangible to remember her by. Now… the box taunted him. The ring it held served as a constant reminder of the life he had lost. The life he was supposed to have – with Jess.
Sam had known he was in love the moment they met freshman year. He had dropped her off at her dorm room after their fourth date and then walked the three miles to the nearest mall and into their jewelry store to purchase the ring. Barely having two quarters to rub together, Sam put it on lay away. He was going to have to pay it off over time.
He knew he could have stolen it. When he walked in, he instantly identified all the security weaknesses. It would have been easy. But this ring was the beginning of his future… their future. He wasn't going to steal and he wasn't going to commit fraud to get it. He would work hard, pay it off, and by graduation he would have the ring. Besides, it was going to take him that long just to work up the courage to ask.
The next few years flew by. He had found a home at Stanford. He had found a home in Jess. They moved in together at the start of their senior year. He had known at the time, if he had asked, even without a ring, she would have said yes. But he decided he would ask her at graduation. He would do it right. He would wait until he was sure he was clear.
Sam had never quite relaxed at Stanford. He had always been waiting for a monster or demon or ghost to appear and out him as a freak. If he made it to graduation, he had thought, if he made it four years without anything supernatural, he would be in the clear. Then and only then would Sam ask her.
Two days, a mere 48 hours, after Sam paid off the ring; Dean tackled him in their kitchen.
Listening to Dean's snores coming from the bed next to him, Sam clutched the singed velvet box to his chest. The ring box, which had brought butterflies to his stomach only a month before, now brought the taste of bile to his throat.
Carefully averting his eyes from the ceiling, Sam wondered how much they could get for it at the pawn shop in town.
