The Edge of the Earth and Back

Title: The Edge of the Earth and Back
Rating: PG-13
Author: Reportergirl13
Fandom: Supernatural
Pairing: John/Mary
Word Count: 1,130
Prompt: “Socks” written for week #18 of Fandom_Fridays



Mary rummaged through the drawer tossing countless pairs of panties and other unmentionables onto the floor as she searched frantically for them as she grew increasingly frustrated. John walked into the room and stopped, glancing around, eyebrow raised, Mary’s undergarments littering the floor.

They’d just moved into the new house and she had spent the last three days making sure everything was arranged and decorated exactly the way she wanted it. She’d been acting sort of crazy lately, but the doctor had informed him it was perfectly normal at this stage of her pregnancy.

Apparently it was called the nesting period, whatever that meant. He leaned against the wall as she flung the last piece of clothing out of the drawer with a growl. A soft chuckle escaped his throat and she turned toward him, tears in her eyes.

The smile immediately left John’s face as he pushed himself away from the wall and closed the distance between them, worried that something was really wrong. He reached up, hands caressing her face while speaking in a soft voice.

“What’s the matter baby? Are you okay?”

Her bottom lip quivered and his chest tightened at the pain he saw in her eyes. He’d move mountains, cross oceans, and fight off heaven and hell to keep that look from her face. Mary sniffled before licking her lips, voice full of distress as she spoke.

“I can’t find them! I know I unpacked them with everything else and I could have sworn I saw them the other day and now they’re just gone!”

The dam broke and John frowned as she burst into tears, clinging to him like her life depended on it. He pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back as she cried on his shoulder, confusion taking hold of him.

“Shh…Mary what can’t you find?”

She tried to talk through her sobs, but he couldn’t understand her.

“You need t calm down. Come on sweetheart. Take a deep breath. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong.”

She pulled away from him swiping at her tears as she nodded. She knew he was right. Mary took a couple of deep breaths before finally looking up at him and speaking.

“I can’t find my favorite pair of socks.”

John did a double take and she watched as an incredulous look crossed his face. She couldn’t be serious…there’s no way her break down was about a pair of socks…

“Socks? You’re going on like this about a pair of socks?”

He saw fresh tears welling up and his eyes widened.

“No, no don’t cry. I’m sorry okay? Socks…we can find socks.”

She glared at him, poking him in the chest as she advance on him. He gulped and moved back until he hit the wall marveling at her ability to go from crying to angry in seconds.

“They aren’t just socks. They are my favorite socks. They are warm and cozy and they fit my ridiculously large ankles without leaving those stupid imprints around them.”

He opened his mouth, but she shook her head.

“No John, it’s like these damn socks were made for me. They mold to my feet, they’re comfortable and I just…I love those damn socks…”

The tears started flowing again as she stood in front of him pouting like a petulant child, hiccupping and speaking in a sad voice.

“All I want to do is put on my socks and take a nap and I…I can’t even do that.”

John had been through war and back, but right now his wife was more frightening than anything he’d ever faced overseas. He tried for a sympathetic look to appease her as he looked around the room.

“I’m sorry, we’ll find them okay? What color are they?”

“Blue.”

He nodded and started weeding through the things on the floor in search of her socks. He didn’t know why the socks were so important to her, but if they would make her stop acting like a crazy person he’d search until he found them.

Two hours later, after searching the whole house, John made his way into the nursery and spotted Mary sitting in the rocking chair facing the window. She’d left about twenty minutes into the search, too irritated to stay and help him.

He let out a soft sigh and leaned against the back of the chair.

“Baby…”

“Hmm.”

“Why are the socks so important to you? I’m just wondering is all.”

Mary swallowed hard as she rocked the chair gently, her voice breaking the silence his question had created.

“My father gave them to me. We went on this…camping trip and somehow all of our stuff wound up getting stolen and we only had the clothes on our backs. I managed to step in this huge puddle and went without socks until we got back to town, where he bought me those fluffy blue socks and made some kind of sarcastic remark about watching where I walked.”

She laughed lightly at the memory as she rubbed her slightly swollen stomach.

“It’s stupid, I know it is, but they were the last gift he gave me before he…died and I just…”

John heard the tears in her voice as she finished her sentence in a whisper.

“I really love those socks.”

He nodded even though he knew she couldn’t see it and kissed the side of her head before moving his arm around her from behind. In his hand he held a pair of blue fluffy socks.

Her eyes widened as she whirled around in her seat before standing and throwing her arms around him with a loud laugh.

“You found them!”

He chuckled.

“I told you I would.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck, John winding around her waist as she pressed her lips to his in a deep kiss. When they pulled apart to catch their breath, she mated her forehead against his as he spoke in a gently voice.

“It’s not stupid. I get it.”

“That’s why I love you so much.”

Warmth filled him as he looked into her sparkling eyes, smile on his face.

“I love you too. So…now that we’ve got those socks hows about a nap? I don’t know about you but I’m exhausted.”

She giggled and nodded as she led him to their bedroom, a mishevious look in her eyes.

“Exactly how tired are you?”

He glanced at her and smirked.

“Not that tired.”

“Mmm you’ve gotta catch me first.”

She took off, laughter filling their home as John smiled and raced out of the room hot on her heels. He’d chase her to the edge of the earth and back if she asked him too. Mary Winchester was his world, his heart and she always would be.