Three years later

John and Kathy were sitting in the ice cream shop drinking shakes. "So, we graduate next week. What are your plans?" John asked. He had been going with Kathy for three years and he realized that she had no ambition. He was hoping that was all about to change.

Kathy thought maybe John was going to ask her to marry him. "I want to get married," she said. That would make it easy for him, she decided.

"But, what do you want to do for a job?" John persisted.

"My husband will take care of me."

"For someone who tries to be ahead of her time, you're setting the woman's movement back a few years," John pointed out. "On the other hand, my mom stayed home to take care of me, so I suppose there's nothing wrong with that."

"Oh. I don't want to have kids," Kathy said quickly. She couldn't imagine anything worse.

"You don't?" John asked. He thought all women wanted children.

"No. I'm not sure I'd make a good mother."

John decided since they were about to start their lives as adults, he needed to break things off with her. They weren't after the same things. "Kathy, I think we need to talk."

"Yes?" she asked expectantly. John was old fashioned. She was surprised he wasn't down on one knee.

"I think it's time we break up." He couldn't think of a nice way to do it. There were just some things you needed to say straight out.

"What?" Kathy asked. She was heartbroken. But, she couldn't let him see that. "You're probably right. It was fun while it lasted, though."

John was relieved. He was afraid there were going to be tears.

"So, what are you going to do?" Kathy asked, not quite willing to leave yet. She was torturing herself, but she wanted to be around him, even if just for a few more minutes.

"I'm going to join the Marines," John said.

"What? You do know there's a war going on, right?" Kathy didn't pay a lot of attention to current events, but even she couldn't miss what was going on in Vietnam.

"Yes. That's why I'm doing it."

"Well, good luck, John," Kathy said and stood up to go. She wasn't going to be able to keep from crying much longer. "Send me a letter every once in a while to let me know you're alive."

"Yeah. Sure," John said. He would miss Kathy. She was a breath of fresh air. Even after three years.

SSS

Heaven

Zachariah approached one of the so-called Cupid angels. "I have an assignment for you."

"Yes, sir?" all the cupids hated Zachariah. He was so arrogant and officious.

"John Winchester and Mary Campbell."

The cupid gasped. A Winchester and a Campbell? So they were really going to do this. Get the ball rolling on the Apocalypse.

"Don't stand their with your mouth gaping open. Go do your thing. Get those two crazy kids together."

"Yes, sir," the cupid answered reluctantly. He didn't want to do this. But nobody crossed Zachariah. It wasn't good for one's health.

SSS

The cupid found Mary standing outside a store on Main Street. He was invisible to her, and he reached in and touched her heart. He carved John upon it. Then he saw John coming out of the recruitment office across the street. He did the same thing. Then he closed his eyes and shook his head. There was no going back from what he had just done.

Mary looked up and saw John Winchester coming out of the Marine recruitment center. He nearly bumped into her. "I'm sorry," he said automatically as he looked to see who he had bumped. "Mary? I haven't seen you in a while." He didn't feel the usual antipathy towards her that he usually felt.

"What are you doing? Did you join the Marines?" Mary asked surprised. That didn't sound like something a weak, selfish coward would do.

"Yeah. I leave in a couple of weeks," he said.

"How does Kathy feel about that?" Mary really missed her friend. They hadn't spoken since that day in her bedroom.

"We broke up," John said.

Mary felt so happy about that she was ashamed of herself. "I'm sorry," she lied.

"Want to go get a shake?" John asked. He had no idea why he had done it. Mary hated him. She was obviously going to say no.

"OK," she surprised both of them.

"So, what are your plans?" John asked Mary as they walked to the ice cream shop.

There was a long silence. Mary didn't know how to answer that. "My dad needs help with his business," she said.

"What does he do?"

"It's kind of complicated," Mary said. "Do you know how long you'll be gone?" Mary asked to change the subject.

"Two years," John answered.

Two years without John around. It suddenly seemed like a lifetime. Mary wondered what was wrong with her. She had barely spoken ten words to him in the past three years. What difference did it make if he weren't around any more?

They sat over their shakes for two hours. Mary had no idea what they had talked about, but she floated home on a cloud.

"Where were you?" Samuel asked, angrily. She was supposed to be helping him figure out where a vampire nest was.

"Sorry, Dad. My last weekend as a high school student. I lost track of time."

Samuel realized that Mary was always where she was supposed to be. He had just been worried. Next week Mary would be hunting full time. He could give her this one last weekend. "Why don't you take the rest of the weekend off."

"Really?" Mary asked.

"Really. But you know, no more fun and games after next week."

"I know," Mary nodded sadly. "Can I have a two week vacation? Just two weeks? Please."

Samuel nodded. "But this will be the last time."

SSS

John and Mary spent the whole two weeks together. They went to the movies. They went shopping. They spent every hour together until they had to go home for the night. Finally, came the day when John had to leave.

"Don't go, John," Mary cried.

"You know I have to," John said.

"I know. And that's why I love you."

Neither of them had said the word yet. "I love you, too," John said. "Will you wait for me?"

Mary nodded through her tears.

Neither of them told their parents, though. Neither could imagine their reactions.