You know the way sometimes you read a character story, and you know it's forever going to be the definitive last word on that character?
Well, I've found it for John Winchester. It's STUNNING.
Even if you hate John, with the fire of a thousand suns, go read it. Seriously.
It's
In the Beginning, As It Ends, by
dodger_winslow.
I honestly don't think I can even do it justice here. To say that it's canon is too paltry a word. It's just John.
Everything he was, is and ever will be, summed up in one perfect fic.
I don't want to steal the story's thunder, but suffice to say you will understand why John is the man he is in the show when you read about four year old Dean's Daddy. He doesn't suddenly change into the stern drill sergeant. The marine was always there, and would have been a wonderful father if it hadn't been for the horrific tragedy that happened that night.
I need to give you a couple of quotes, because the prose is so elegant:
But you and me," John went on, "we know the drill. Bad dreams can be tricky stuff. Always a good idea to debrief after you’ve had one. Talk about it a little. Figure out what put it in your head and how to get it out, right?"
Gorgeous characterization right there.
she asked again, "What was Dean’s dream about?"
His smile faded. His eyes turned a darker shade of normal. It was the look he got when he had worries about their life he didn’t intend to share. It was his most irksome trait, this irrational need he had to protect her from even the smallest unpleasantries of life. He told her once it was because he loved her, but she’d always been more of a mind to believe it was because he was afraid of losing her.
And this cuts to the heart of who John is.
There's a lot of lovely laughs in this fic too - the John/Mary interaction is full of innuendo and lovely quips and god, it's me and my husband right there, down to the swear box.
Okay, this doesn't even begin to cover how fabulous this story is. I can't stress enough how all of you need to GO. READ. WEEP.
And I'm so utterly jealous, because I wish I'd written it. *g*