Chapter 50: Before You Were the Gleam in Your Father's Eye
John current age: 24
Mary current age: 22
Lawrence, Kansas
January 12th 1978
John smiled over at Mary as he watched her begin to cook. She was so young and so beautiful, and he wondered how a man like him could have ever wound up with such a beautiful wife. He felt like the luckiest man in the world as he watched her. They had just bought their first home together and John had just gotten a job down at the garage, fixing cars.
"John come and get it!" she called. "I made your favorite." She picked up a porcelain plate and put some potatoes on it as she grabbed the steak and smother it in her special sauce that was an old Campbell family recipe.
"This looks great" John said as he came up behind her and kissed her. "What's the occasion?" he asked as he sat down. Mary smiled a little at the kiss and then took her seat beside him as she grabbed some potatoes for herself along with some chicken and vegetables.
"Hold on" she said. "Care to say grace?" John hesitated and Mary sighed. "Alright, alright I'll say it tonight" she said. "Thank you father, for this food and this new home, I pray that this meal would nourish our bodies and make us strong. Thank you for all these blessings and for watching over us. Amen."
John took a bite of the steak as he mixed it with his potatoes and looked over at her as she took small careful bites.
"Mary this is so good!" he said happily. "How on earth did you learn to cook like this?"
"All Campbell's in my family cook, it's kind of a sort of trade that everyone in the family has to learn" she replied.
"Ok so now you've gotta tell me" John started, "Why've you made such a big meal and my favorite meal tonight of all nights?"
"John…" she started. "I wanna have a baby." John froze mid bite at her words and set the fork down as he swallowed hard.
"Mary, so soon?" he asked.
"I've given it a lot of thought and…" she started. "I think it's time. We both have good jobs, and a new house, we're doing well John."
"I just…" he started. "I don't think I'm ready to be a father."
"I know you'll be the best father" she replied. "Imagine having a little son or daughter" she said, "You could teach your son how to catch, or take your daughter to the park and push her on the swings… come on John just think of how perfect our life would be!"
"You really think we're ready?" John asked. He couldn't help but feel excitement building up in him as he thought of what Mary said. Him a father? It was true they did have everything, everything in their lives were perfect aside from having a family.
"I know we are" she replied. "And I know you'd take care of our son or daughter, and protect them and love them as much as you love me" she said.
"Okay Mary" he said after a minute.
"Thank you John!" she said happily as she got up and ran over to him kissing him.
"Let's be parents" he said as he smiled lovingly at her and held her close.
July 28th 1978
Mary had found out a little over a few months ago that she was pregnant and John was happier then she had ever seen him. Their due date was January 24th and Mary was looking forward to the day when she would be holding their little boy in her arms. They had found out the gender of the baby a while ago and when Mary had told John it was going to be a boy he had ran over to her and picked her up off her feet as he hugged her and kissed her all over her face. The two couldn't be happier. John still had doubts about becoming a father but through Mary's reassurance he had changed his mind for the better and had accepted that he would be a father now, and that he would make Mary proud by showing how much he would love and care for their new son. They had been thinking of names non-stop, and they had both settled on the name Dean.
"What do you think he'll look like?" Mary asked one night as she put on her pajamas and got into bed. John had just gotten home from work and showered after he had grabbed a quick dinner on his way home. He got into bed and smiled at her as he put his arm around her and pulled her close.
"Well…" John started. "I think he'll look just like you" he replied.
"Really?" Mary asked.
"Yeah, he'll have your same blonde hair and pretty green eyes" he said as he looked into them and kissed her forehead. She giggled a little and laid her head on his chest.
"Who would have thought we'd ever be so lucky?" she said. "Soon we'll have a baby, and our lives will be perfect."
"Yep, perfect as long as he goes into the family business" John said.
"Oh no John he is not becoming a mechanic!" she said.
"What why not?" he asked.
"Cause you always come home dirty and sweaty" she replied as she stuck her tongue out. "I don't wanna have to deal with 2 boys like that."
"Oh really?" John asked as he started tickling her.
"John stop!" she squealed as she giggled and kicked her legs. John got over her as he continued tickling her as he grinned. Finally when she was out of breath he stopped and she smiled as she looked into his brown eyes.
"Honestly John, I just want our son to do something big with his life" she said. "Make a difference."
"Honey that's what all parents want for their kids" he said as he smirked a little.
"I'm serious John" she said.
"Okay…" he started teasingly.
"Promise me John" she said.
"Promise you what?" he asked.
"Promise me you'll do everything you can to make sure our son grows up a hero" she told him.
"Mary what's wrong?" he asked. "Why are you talking like this?"
"Just promise me." John looked into her emerald green eyes and nodded.
"I promise" he replied. "I'll raise him up right Mary, we both will." She didn't say anything and John felt the sense that something was wrong.
"We both will, we'll do it together, right?" he prodded.
"Right" she replied as her voice broke a little and she tried to keep her eyes from watering. She felt the pressure of the life of a hunter bearing down on her. She didn't want her son to be involved in this life, and she often had nightmares about getting killed by some supernatural monster before she got to see her son. She wanted to raise him, to be there for him, and that was why she had left the life. But lately she had been paranoid that later on her past would come back to her and would take her away from her son. She did not want to lose her life that way, she wanted to be there for her son. And that night she promised herself that she would be.
So… man this was sad to write! I felt so bad thinking of how Mary ends up being killed. I wanted to give a little background to the character that is John Winchester. I wanted to show you guys he wasn't always a monster, and besides I thought it would be ironic to say all the stuff about how John promised Dean would grow up a hero and how he would love his son and all that when we all know how he really ended up! Let me know your thoughts! Every review matters and makes my day just a little brighter!
