Wow. That was really... deep.

Nicely written.

Very imaginative and awesomely well-told story. Your idea of torturing John by giving him a taste of the (near) ‘perfect life’ was realistic and highly convincing; there’s nothing going to haunt him more than his own failure regarding his sons.
The final sentence of this ficlet did sound so very true in the face of what poor John Winchester had to endure during that one year already.
Great ideas for what could have been if things went differently at one point or another.

WOW. This is a wonderfully different take on what hell would've been like...not fire and sulfur, but what-could-have-been. John probably could've dealt with physical torture, but to show him how happy his family could've been? The guilt he'd feel is probably better than anything else the demons could've come up with.

And the last line is killer! Ep. was the truth he learned that Dean was going to hell? O. Mysterious.

OMG that was so good!! LOVED the different perspective of hell you have, insteda of just this place surrounded by fire and all that!! GREAT fic!

That was absolutely beautiful, and heart breaking at the same time. Poor Papa Winchester! Great story!!

Incredible! This is such an original piece. And I really loved your version of what hell would be like for John.

He is used to physical pain and being deprived of creature comforts...that's the way he lived. Hell could have been painful...in so many other ways.

To see how GREAT things could have been, not only for himself but(especially) for his sons...well, lets just say guilt is a powerful weapon.

His narrow-mindedness and obsession cost his sons a very happy life. He could have been happy, his boys could have been happy and successfull...He loved his sons, but he made some big mistakes along the way. Nobody is perfect, but John has pulled some real bone-headed moves.

The type of people Dean and Sam are, I think they would have grown up close no matter what.

I think you hit it 'dead on' with Dean...the man is very smart and he would have made a great doctor. He has the type of personality that cares very deeply for people. He's protective by nature (not just training) and likes to help people. (He has, many times, explained to Sam that what they do (hunting) has value. Saving people, hunting things - and I think it makes him feel good about himself when he can help someone in need.)

Sam in Stanford just seems to fit...he'd make a good lawyer...he likes to argue(LOL).

It had to have been torture for John to see his first grandchild...what could have been his first grandchild. A grandson. Perfect. Dean would have made an awesome Daddy. When Dean does give his heart, he will be a fiercely loyal family man. Family has always been number one priority for Dean Winchester, and he would be the same in any reality.

John traded his family's life, happiness for revenge and it's leaving a bitter taste in his mouth and an indescribeable ache in his heart.

John escaped hell, but he escaped with knowledge that things are only getting harder for his boys.

And then he was gone. And then he learnt the truth. And heaven with Mary still felt like hell.

The last line was very poetic.

Oh wow! just wow! This was such an original idea and beautifully written. Hell is white picket fence and a happy family. Im speechless.

that was sweet!how did you come up with it? it was so good!

This was amazing! :)

I loved every moment of it. Regret is such a painful emotion, and you used it perfectly here. I also loved how you show that John really did want what was best for his boys, he just made mistakes, and how hard it was for him to see how their lives could have been if he'd done things differently.

Is there any chance you'd think about doing a fic like this with Dean? *puppy-dog eyes*

Absolutely incredible work! :)

Ani-maniac494

Interesting. Nice take on what hell could be like. Great story. Keep it up.

Awsome stuff. It wasn't anything like I expected from reading the summary. It was a thousand times better. Thanks!

I really liked! So cool that John's hell would seem like paradise to everyone else. And in Heaven with Mary would still feel like Hell.

Way, way cool!

Kat

you're right, that is the perfect hell for him. good story.

i truly loved this fic, about hell for john is seeing what should have been, and unlike in dean's dijnn dream hes successful and with a family and sammy is close with both of them, poor john and the whole winchester family

Oh wow if I wasn't at work when I read this I might have actually cried. Great. so poignant. I love it! Love the idea of John remarrying, having a daughter, etc. You really came up with a different idea of hell. Wow. Moving stuff.