Children shouldn't play with dead things.
That's what was left of Mary Winchester in Greenville, Illinois. The truth carved in the cold stone that marked her memorial.
"In the end, this was the only way my little sister could be close to me."
The boys couldn't make any sound, they could swear that if they did their mother's presence would go away. They remained silent, heads down, each waiting for the other to break that stillness. Mr. Campbell decided that his presence was not helping the boys in their comfort.
"I'll leave you two to... talk. Meet me at the house later."
A moment more passed like the one before, Dean knew what his brother was thinking.
"We need to know, Sammy." he looked sideways at him, Sam was tearing up.
"'Children shouldn't play with dead things'..." Sam said more to himself than anyone else.
"We're not children anymore, Sam."
"We never were." he looked back at his brother, from that moment on Sam knew he had to bury his dreams of 'what could have been' deep where no one would peek, next to his mother's memories, six feet under.
"Dean?!" a female voice in high pitch called as the Winchesters were leaving the graveyard. Dean turned around in confusion, "Oh my god! It is you!" and the beautiful figure of a red-haired girl jumped at him for an enthusiastic embrace. "It's me - Anna! Liddy Walsh's daughter!"
"Of course... Anna Walsh...!" Truth to be told, Dean had no memory of Anna Walsh. He remembered Liddy Walsh, his mother's best friend. Did she have a daughter? But the girl hugging him was so gorgeous, what the hell! Anna Walsh it is.
"Let me take a good look at you! Wow, you grew tall!"
Poor Sam was way too confused: on one hand there was a girl fan-girling his brother and on the other, there was his brother looking at him with the expression of a question mark. Dean tried to keep the fake at all costs.
"So... how have you been? How's... aunt Liddy?"
"Oh, she passed away a few years ago... I'm here visiting her grave."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Not really, he couldn't remember anything about that girl.
"Why are you here? I thought you never left Kansas. I remember when mom and I went to visit one summer, you said there was no way you were ever leaving Lawrence."
He did?
"Yeah... that must have been-was, was a long time ago. Sam hadn't even been born yet... right?"
The girl finally took notice of Sam. She extended her hand to shake his.
"Hello, I'm Anna Walsh. You can say I'm Dean's childhood friend."
"Nice to meet you Anna."
"Nice to meet you Sam." That was uncomfortable. The girl smiled alright but Sam felt such coldness in that greeting that his immediate reaction was to put his hands back in his pockets once it was over.
"Are you here visiting uncle Campbell? How long are you staying?"
Boy could she talk...
"Not long, we just passed by to give him a quick hello."
She patiently awaited.
"In fact, we're just on our way back to his house now, if you-"
"So, we really have to go, it was nice meeting you Anna." Sam cut Dean's intentions of asking Anna to come with, that part was clear.
Dean was still pissed off at him when they reached a safe distance to discuss without being heard.
"What was that?! I was gonna invite her to lunch!"
"Dean be reasonable. I don't think we can discuss demons and death when Miss Sunshine there is clinging all over you."
"She wouldn't be there long! I'm sure our uncle would be happy to see her... given he remembers her, 'cause I have no clue who that girl is!"
"What?"
"Summer? Visiting us? Forever in Lawrence? I don't remember that!"
"Then why were you...?"
"Sammy, let's face it: the last time I tried to get laid I almost got compelled-slash-killed by a Siren. At least this girl is harmless! And she's hot."
Sam couldn't do much better than rolling his eyes over his brother for being himself.
"So, those are the Winchesters."
"You know what to do?"
"It'll be easy."
"There's another thing: a girl, a hunter, she might come your way."
"Your orders?"
"We can still use her, just don't let her get close to them."
"And if she does?"
"Kill her too."
"As you wish, Michael."