For months after Mary's death, 5 yr old Dean would run up to any woman that looked like her. A quick Wee-chester fic.

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The minute John saw her he knew what was about to happen. Since Mary's death only a few months ago, Dean had started running up to every woman who happened to have long blond hair like his mother. Dean's eyes so wide and happy, thinking 'mommy's back, mommy's back', every time would be crushed when the unsuspecting woman turned around.

Sometimes John explained to these women why his son was crying. Inevitably they would try to comfort Dean and leave heartbroken that they could do little to help a small boy who missed his mommy so very, very much. John dreaded having to take the boys in public for the longest time. To the outside world it looked like he was just another father spending some time with his boys. If they only knew.

Today was no different. A quick stop at the supermarket, little Sammy strapped into the shopping cart seat with Dean hanging on to the side, they were about done when it happened. Dean spotted her before John had a chance to stop him. From behind she looked just as Mary had right before she died. The right age, the right size and damn if even her hair wasn't the right length. Even John felt a momentary pang, a 'what if', just before she turned around. Startled by the small arms that wrapped around her legs, the young lady looked down to find Dean clinging to her and instantly saw the disappointment in his hazel eyes as he looked up at her. Her heart broke as she watched Dean let go and run back to John crying. John quickly scooped Dean up in his arms and held him tight as he began to sob on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry ma'am….I should have stopped him before he got to you." John apologized quickly to the startled woman whose face quickly softened when she saw how distressed Dean was.

"My boy here…he thought you were his mother."

"It's alright, no harm done, I just wasn't expecting it. Is he going to be okay?" she asked as she approached John and the boys. Right away she noticed Sammy in the seat and, combined with a still crying Dean, she assumed the sad truth.

"How long ago?" She asked in a sympathetic tone.

"5 months." John answered softly trying not to let her see the pain in his own eyes. 5 long months.

"I'm so sorry." She said reaching out to stroke Dean's hair. Dean closed his eyes and involuntarily flinched as he felt her hand on his head. She even felt like Mommy. The young lady quickly pulled her hand away afraid she had caused even more distress for Dean. She looked down at little Sammy who returned the big smile she gave him.

"Who is this little cutie?" she asked looking right at Dean trying to distract him.

"That's Sammy, he's my baby brother." Dean answered still snuggled into John's shoulder. Sammy began to giggle as she started to tickle his tiny feat.

"He likes you." Dean said beginning to feel better as he watched Sammy smile. No longer wary of her, he wiggled out of John's arms and to the side of the shopping cart again.

"I'm sorry if my boy here scared you ma'am. We'll leave you alone now." John said trying to leave without breaking down himself.

"It's okay, really, it's okay." She said seeing the pain in John's eyes that he was trying to hide. She watched them quickly move away from her, her heart breaking for the three of them. She shopped in that supermarket every week for months afterwards, but she never saw John and the boys again.

"Mommy isn't coming back is she?" Dean asked when they got back to their latest motel room.

"No son she isn't" John answered softly prepared to explain it again if his oldest son needed to hear the reason why.

"Okay daddy." Dean said in such an accepting way that John's heart broke even further. He put Sammy down inside the playpen and Dean climbed inside to join him. John sat on the nearby bed and watched as Dean began to play with his baby brother. Picking up a stuffed animal Dean tickled Sammy's nose with it until he started to giggle. How many times had John seen Mary do the same thing to Dean when he was Sammy's age? He quickly wiped the tears that ran down his cheek not wanting Dean to see him crying.

From that day on, Dean never ran up to another woman again. Occasionally Dean would point out someone who looked like Mary when Sammy got a little older and say, "That's what mommy looked like but prettier." John always smiled when he heard that.

The End