Her name was Sophia Jones and she was eight years old.
His name was Dean Winchester and he was eighty years old.
They were next door neighbors for as long as Sophia could remember, Mr. Winchester and his brother lived in the big white house that before the Winchester brothers moved in, was the scariest hunted house on the block.
Sophia loved to watch Dean and his brother Sam. Their houses were so close, all the little girl had to do was peek through her window and she could see right into the next house.
Every morning they would wake up, make their breakfast, chatting and joking the entire time. Then when they'd settle to eat, they would read newspapers, cut articles out then make strange phone calls.
After a few hours of that, they'd take a walk outside, their hands linked, facing smiling and tilting up to the sky. They would take walks all the time, with no real pattern or goal. Just walking…just being together. Then they would come in, laughing and joking the same as before. Start lunch, bickering about using too much butter, not enough sugar…
Watching them always made Sophia smile. They were nicer then her grandparents and even happier then her parents.
Sometimes after school, Sophia would sneak over to the Winchesters house and play with them. Dean always reminded her of her big brother. He always had a new trick to show her and a new song to teach her.
But whenever she'd come home from those visits and would tell her parents about what she'd done…they would only chastise her.
After a time of this Sophia seated herself next to Dean on his front porch steps and asked him a simple question.
"Sam's not real is he?"
"Oh he's real sweetheart," Dean stared into the distances, a faint smile on his lips.
"Then why are you and I the only ones who can see him? Mommy thinks I'm making him up." Sophia turned her head to stare at him.
The older man gave a tired sigh, "Because he's gone. He's not in this world anymore. I can see him because…well just because. And you can see him because you have a gift."
"He's dead isn't he?" Sophia whispered after a long silence.
"Yes darling."
"Then why isn't he in Heaven?" Sophia asked, remembering her bible study.
"Because…. because when we were younger we made a deal never to be apart. And that include the after life, he's waiting for me." Dean explained gently, turning his head to give her a smile.
"Why?" She couldn't help but ask.
"It's hard to explain." Dean sighed, "But when you love someone as much as I love him it just seems natural. The right thing to do is to just be with him…always."
"My mommy says it wrong-" Sophia started.
"Your mommy doesn't know what she's talking about." Dean snapped, with annoyance decades old.
Sophia nodded her head, "I don't think it's wrong either. I talk to Sammy some times…and he always tells me the nicest stories."
"Oh yeah?" Dean smiled down at her, eager for someone else views of his brother.
"Yeah, he told me about the time you and the princess were tied to trees and he had to come and save you from a pagan god." She paused, tilted her head slightly, "What's a pagan?"
"Did he now?" Dean smirked, the memory coming back as easily as the other. He carefully avoided answering the last question.
"Yup, he also told me how much he loves you." Sophia gave him a bright, toothless smile, " I don't care what my mommy says…I like knowing you two are together."
"So do I sweetie." The older man patted her back gently, a knowing smile set on his face.
Three days later Dean Winchester died, and Sophia Jones wasn't sad.
She never saw Sammy again and that made her smile, she knew they were together and no matter where they were they would take care of each other.