Great story! Loved the analogies! Well-done summary of Dean's life! And I agree, I think the bunker and Sam really did give that to him.

Having the bunker does seem to be the happy medium between ignoring hard won skills or never having anything at all for himself. I can't wait to see how long they get to have a mother back.

This is such a great piece! Although, after the start of Season 12 with the arrival of Mom, can you write another section to this? It would be awesome! I love how you took quick slices of Dean's life, and what it meant to be a hero. What he thought of it as a young boy, before the fire. How he became one to save his brother in the fire. How his Dad expected Dean to become a hero, while he was looking at the apple pie life. The time he did a slice of apple pie life with Lisa and Ben. And at the end of what you've written, where Sam is his entire meaning for life. To be a hero and the apple life as well.

Excellent!
You did a great job describing Dean.
Thanks for sharing your story with us.

Wow this is super well done. I live how you end each little segment with a line that give a real punch in the gut and illuminates what you said in the previous paragraphs.

Love the evolution of Dean's thoughts on heroism and living a normal life. I like how you captured both. People seem to think that because Dean started wanting a normal life (only when he was faced with the unimaginable horrors they were burdened with in season 4 and 5, that he ALWAYS wanted that. Which isn't true.)

You show the balance of both here. Well done.

this was great, I really enjoyed reading this reflective heartfelt piece, well done, thanks

Great story. Captures Dean, well! :)

And Dean had promised. He was finally living his classic apple pie life.

But the apples were bitter.

This part just hit me right in the feels. So perfectly put and the tragedy of it conveyed beautifully, how this life was something he's always wanted, except it was nothing without Sam in it.

Now Dean has the bunker.

He has a home; a home with four walls and roof. He has his own room, a kitchen, the best shower in the world and a memory foam mattress that remembers him.

Dean is mother and father to his family. Admittedly, his family numbers just one person, and that person is built like the rock of Gibraltar so really doesn't need mothering, but Dean doesn't care.

That person is Dean's reason for existing. That person is the air in Dean's lungs and the beat of his heart.

That person is Sam.

And now Dean knows that's all he needs. That's all he's ever needed.

Dean cooks and cleans, and fixes the plumbing when it rattles. Sam bitches about being treated like a kid. Dean ignores him because he knows Sam loves him back with every atom of his being.

There to here... my god. Your writing is just brilliant. I loved this! I'm now very emotional because of this.

This was utterly fantastic! It portrayed so much of Dean. Certainly tugged at my heart.

Nice job. I just started watching "Supernatural" this summer with my daughter. You've done a great job capturing Dean's character.

Joan

Wow! What a wonderful, beautiful, bittersweet story! I think it sums up Dean perfectly. I really admire this; every word counts, and every sentence is weighted with insight and feels. Thank you for this!

That was sweet and well-written. Good work!