Disclaimer: Supernatural is owned by the CW, not me. If you recognize it, it's a safe bet I don't own it.
Jo opened the door to find the boys both working on their math. "Hey guys," She said, getting their attention, "Everything okay?"
"Yeah." Dean answered.
Walking in the room, Jo knelt down, saying, "Alright, let me have a look here." She took Dean's work and started looking over it. "Good job, buddy." She began, before sitting it down, "But you got a little off on number five."
After helping Dean with number five, Jo took Sam's work. "Good job here, too." She praised, "Every one of them right."
Dean flushed, looking down. Why couldn't he get them all right?
"His problems are easier honey." Jo reassured him, sensing the issue, "Because he hasn't learned as much, yet. You'll get it."
"If you say so…" Dean let his voice trail off.
"I know so." Jo said, ruffling his hair before standing up, "I'll be back in fifteen minutes. Keep up the good work."
At the end of the day, when everyone was home, they were gathered around the table having dinner together.
"So, how was everyone's day?" Charlie asked before putting a bit of a mixture of green beans, cream of mushroom soup and French-fried onions in her mouth.
"Okay." Jo answered, "The night waitress was five minutes late, but I got one hundred bucks off some guy in poker."
"What's poker?" Sam pipped up.
Jo was silent a minute trying to figure out a minute how to explain it, then answered, "It's game grownups play sometime for money." She added, clearly satisfied with herself that," And everyone at the Roadhouse sucks at it except me." Then she took a bite of pork cutlet.
"Sounds fun." Sam replied cheerfully, squirming his seat, "Can I play next time?"
Jo and Charlie looked at each for a moment, inquiring silently to each other as to how to handle this.
"Maybe when you're older kiddio." Jo suggested finally, "Like I said, it's a game for grownups."
"Okay." Sam mopped, looking down at his plate.
Before this could turn into a thing Charlie asked, "How 'bout my boys? You two have a good day?"
"I finally got my multiplication tables down." Dean spoke up.
That got Charlie's attention. "You did?"
"Yep. "Jo answered, "It was a little touch and go at the beginning but he's finally got. He's gonna kill that test on Friday."
"Jo, do we really need to have a test?" Dean asked.
Jo smiled. "According to the government we do. Otherwise how do they know I've been teaching you?"
Even later that evening when they were putting the boys to bed was when it happened.
"Good night boys." Jo said, kissing each of them on the forehead in turn.
"Goodnight, Mommy." Sam replied.
For a moment everyone froze. Jo's hear sunk and swelled at the same time. Mommy, he actually called her Mommy! But…he still had a mom out there. Her name was Mary. Not Jo. Jo was not his mother.
"What did you just call her?" Dean asked, clearly not happy with his little brother.
It was then Sam realized what he said, "I didn't mean to…"
"Sammy, it's okay." Jo assured him.
"No, it's not." Dean protested harshly, "We already have a mom!"
"Dean!" Jo cut him off, "It was an accident. No harm done, right Sammy?"
Sam just whimpered in response.
"Trust me, no harm was done." Jo assured him, "This is nothing to get upset about, okay?"
"Okay." Sam replied softly, but the way he said made Jo unsure as to whether or not to believe him.
When Jo walked into her own room, Charlie immediately realized something was up. "What's wrong, babe?"
"Sam just called me Mommy." Jo said, answered, sounding almost in shock as she sat down on the bed.
That made Charlie bolt upright in the bed, shirking her head to face her wife. "What?!"
"Sam called me Mommy." Jo repeated.
"What?" Charlie repeated, "When did this happen?"
"Just now when I put them to bed." Jo answered, "I said goodnight and he said, and I quote, 'goodnight, Mommy'."
"I don't know whether to be thrilled or worried." Charlie responded. If this had been a normal adoption Charlie would've been thrilled, but considering they had a mother out there, alive who was fit a parent, that could cause some complications.
"I think we maybe should be both." Jo replied, "Dean didn't take it well, totally freaked out."
"Well, it's understandable." Charlie said, "I mean, they were with their actual mother, what, two months ago?"
"Yeah, I know." Jo responded, running her fingers through her hair, "So, how are we gonna handle this?"
Charlie thought for a minute, then suggested, "Maybe we should just see what happens tomorrow and work from there?"
"Really?" Jo asked, "That's your plan? Just wait it out?"
"Well, the parenting books didn't exactly cover this one, Jo." Charlie pointed out, "And I think this is a little outside your mom's experience, too."
Jo sighed. "Sorry. We'll try your idea and see where it goes."
The next morning there was tension as the boys set down to their bowels of cereal. Neither one spoke.
"You boys sleep good last night." Jo asked, trying to break the tension, finishing her cup of coffee.
"Uh-Hun." Dean replied, stirring his cereal.
Sam didn't respond at all, not meeting anyone in the eye.
"Sammy?" Jo asked.
"I slept okay." Sam finally answered softly.
Yeah, Jo thought, this is gonna become a thing.
The day didn't get any better from there. It became pretty evident that Dean was giving was Sam the silent treatment, and Sam was overcompensating for his slip by barely acknowledging either Jo or Charlie's existence.
"So, I told Dean to stop giving him the silent treatment," Jo told her mother, as she recapped recent events, "But that's only a band aid to problem."
Ellen was silent for a minute, then said, "Alright, two things. Frist, have you asked Sam why he called you Mommy?"
Jo was suddenly extremely embarrassed. "I'm an idiot."
"Okay," Ellen responded, taking that as a no, "After that, you need to know one thing."
"What?" Jo asked.
"You are his mother." Ellen informed her, "So is Charlie. So is whatever their real mother's name being."
"Mary." Jo told her, "Dean told me her name's Mary."
"Okay then." Ellen replied "So basically, these kids have three Mommies."
Meanwhile, in the upstairs room, they boys were doing their school work. "Dean?" Sam asked, looking up.
Dean ignored him, continuing to read.
"Dean, please talk to me!" Sam pleaded, "I didn't mean it! I just got confused."
"How?!" Dean snapped at him, "How could you possibly get them confused. Jo's not our mom!"
Sam started crying even harder.
Just then Jo walked. "Sam!" She exclaimed, running to his side, "What's the matter baby?"
"Dean yelled at me." Sam sobbed.
Jo looked over at Dean with a disapproving stare. "That is not okay." She told him firmly, standing up, "Go to the corner, eight minutes."
"But-Dean began to protest.
"Eight minutes." Jo cut him off, pointing to the corner, "Now. "
Dean got up and went over to the corner.
Jo set the timer then escorted Sam from the room. "Sammy," She began once they were out of earshot, "I need to talk you about something."
"What?" Sam asked.
Jo crouched so that she was as tall as Sam was. "Why did you call me Mommy last night?"
"I didn't mean to!" Sam exclaimed, in tears, "I just got confused! I didn't mean to cause any trouble! I didn't-I didn't- "
"Sssh, sssh," Jo soothed, "Calm down. No one's mad at you. I'm just curious."
Sam bit his lip as if he was thinking. "I just got confused." He said finally, "Because you act like a mommy and…and…"
Jo smiled, gently caressing Sam's face. "Sam, I'm gonna let in on a little secret, okay?"
Sam nodded.
"I am your mother, in a way," Jo said, "Because I love you like you're my son, both of you. That's why I do the things I do. But that doesn't take away from Mary or means you love her any less, or make her not your mother, okay?"
Sam had another thought. "What about Charlie?"
"She's your mom too now." Jo answered, hopping she was doing this right, and not giving him a complex, "Basically you have three mommies, kid."
Sam sniffed a little. "Do you think we'll ever see first mommy again?"
"I don't know." She admitted, "But I have hope that one-day things will change and we can find her and you can." And that's going to be a complicated day. Then she pulled Sam into a hug, saying, "I love you, kid."
"I love you too, second mommy." Sam replied.
"We can work on the terminology." Jo said, "Now, I need to go get your brother."
Jo walked into the room where Dean was standing in the corner. "Dean, you can have told around now." Jo told him.
Dean did as Jo walked over to him, leaning down and hugging him. "Do you understand why I put you in time-out?"
"Because I shouted at Sam." Dean answered.
"Yes," Jo said, "Because we don't shout at people. And Sam's just a little kid. Unless he's hurting you, you definitely you do not yell at a child like that. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Dean answered.
"Good." Jo responded, "Now, can we sit down and talk a minute?"
Dean nodded.
Jo had the same talk she had, had with Sam. When she was finish, Dean was wordless.
"Dean, honey," Jo said after a moment, "Can you say something?"
"Sorry." Dean replied, "I'm just thinking."
"But are you okay now?" Jo asked.
"I think so." Dean responded, "Can I apologize to Sammy?"
"I was just about to suggest that." Jo replied, then called out, "Sam, could you come back in here please?"
Sam popped his head in sheepishly.
"It's okay." Jo assured him, "You can come in."
Sam carefully stepped inside.
"Dean, do you have something to say to your brother?" Jo asked, looking at the older child.
"I'm sorry, Sammy." Dean said sincerely, "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Sam walked over to Dean and grabbed his torso in a hug. "It's okay, Dean." He declared, "I forgive you."
Jo couldn't help but smile. "Okay, you two." She said, "Now that we got this over, I believe you two have math work to do."
That night, both Jo and Charlie put the kids to bed.
"Good night boys." Jo said, kissing each of them on the forehead.
"Goodnight, Mamma Jo." Dean replied.
Both woman exchanged looks, before looking back at Dean, who looked unsure of himself. Sam seemed rather nervous as well.
"Hey, kind of has a nice ring to it." Jo declared, "If you know, that's what you want to call me."
The boys exchanged looks, then Dean said, "I think we do."
"Hey, what about me?" Charlie spoke up, "I don't get a name?"
"We're still thinking on that one." Dean replied.
Charlie suppressed a laugh. "Okay, I can live with that." She conceded, kissing them both as well, "Good night, kiddos. Love you."