Winchester Brothers

Prologue

River Winchester is the half brother of Sam and Dean Winchester. Son of John Winchester and Melissa Kershaw.

                                                                               Lawrence, Kansas
                                                                                   22 years ago
                                                                                 2nd of Nov 1983

-Nursery-

It was late at night and Mary carries her son, four year old Dean, into a dark nursery room.

"Come on, let's say good night to your brother." Mary says Mary turns on the lights. Baby Sam is lying in his crib. Mary sets Dean down, and he leans over the side of the crib.

"Night Sam." Dean says after he kisses Sam on the forehead. Mary leans over Sam.

"Goodnight love." Mary says quietly.

"Hey, Dean." John says as he enters the room, Dean turns to his father and rushes over to him.

"Daddy." Dean says with excitement.

"Hey buddy." John says with a smile on his face as he scoops Dean up in his arms.

"So what do you think? Do you think Sammy's ready to toss a football around yet?" John asks Dean. Dean shakes his head, laughing.

"No Daddy." Dean replies.

"No." John replies while he laughs.

"You got him?" Mary asks.

"I got him." John replies as he hugs Dean closer. "Sweet dreams Sam."

-Master Bedroom-

Lights flicker on a baby monitor sitting on a nightstand next to a photo of Mary and John. Strange noises come through the monitor. Mary, asleep in bed, stirs. She turns on the light on the nightstand.

"John?" Mary asks tiredly. Mary turns: she's alone. She gets up. Mary walks to Sam's nursery. She sees John, only as a silhouette, standing over by Sam's crib.

"John? Is he hungry?" Mary asks. John turns his head.

"Shhh." The man says, who she thinks is John.

"All right." Mary says with a little sigh. Mary heads down the hallway. The light by the stairs is flickering, Mary frowns and goes to tap the light. "Hm." Mary thinks. Flickering lights were coming from downstairs: so Mary investigates. A war movie is on TV and John has fallen asleep. Mary realizes the man upstairs isn't John, she runs back upstairs. "Sammy! Sammy!" Mary says with panic rushing through her body. Mary rushes into Sam's nursery and stops short. Mary screams.

"Mary?" John says as he wakes up. John jumps out of the chair. "Mary!" John shouts as he runs upstairs, John bursts into Sam's nursery. "Mary." John says breathlessly.

The room is quiet and appears empty except for Sam awake in his crib. John glances around and pushes down the side of Sam's crib.

"Hey, Sammy. You okay?" John asks. Something dark drips next to Sam. John touches it. Two more drops land on the back of John's hand, it looks like blood. John looks up. Mary is sprawled across the ceiling, the stomach of her nightgown red with blood, staring at John and struggling to breathe. John collapses onto the floor, staring at Mary. "No! Mary!" John shouts. Mary bursts into flame. The fire spreads over the ceiling. John stares, frozen. Sam wails. John gets up and picks Sam out of his crib and rushes out of the room.

Dean is awake and comes to investigate.

"Daddy!" Dean cries out. John hands Sam to Dean.

"Take your brother outside as fast as you can and don't look back! Now, Dean, go!" John demands. Dean turns and runs, John turns back to the nursery. "Mary!" John shouts. The entire room is on fire. Mary herself can barely be seen. "No!" John shouts.