This story is for dustinw552. I apologize for how long it has taken me to write and post. Between working full time, a death in the family, my kids school and soccer, coaching soccer and life in general I have not had a lot of spare time to get this right. I have really struggled with a muse on this story as it is my first entire episode rewrite. Hopefully I did not disappoint you.

As always, I regrettably do not own Dean, Sam or Jo. Credit given to the Supernatural writers and creators for the general plot and and any recognizable dialogue. Other than licensed merchandise and a rescue dog named after the hero of this story, I own nothing related to Supernatural or its characters.

Thanks to brady66 for making sure did not have any glaring mistakes.

Thanks to anyone who took time to read.

Jo groaned in frustration as her phone rang for the third time in as many minutes. Usually her mother was not this persistent. She reluctantly reached across the bench seat of her ancient pickup truck to grab her phone. Pushing the answer button she almost growled into the phone.

"Mom, I told you. I am not coming home!"

"No need to roll your eyes, JoAnna. I am not asking you to come home. I actually have a job for you. Can you head to La Fayette, Indiana? " Ellen replied ruefully.

Jo accidentally ran a red light, in shock at her mother's words.

"What? You have a job for me?" Jo asked incredulously.

"Yes, more of a babysitting job than a hunting job. Sam was just in the Roadhouse without Dean. He asked Ash to track down kids born the same year as him with physic abilities," Ellen explained carefully.

"What does this have to do with me?" Jo pressed.

"Hold your horses, I was getting to that part! As soon as Sam left some hunter I have never seen before used the pay phone to call Gordon and inform him that Sam was separated from Dean. He also told Gordon where Sam was headed. Gordon has a bit of a soft spot for you. I was hoping you could run interference for Sam so he can get out of town. Maybe you can convince Sam to go back to working with his brother and avoid Gordon all together."

Jo sighed and executed a U-turn to head back towards the highway.

"You are only asking me because Dean isn't with him."

"No, I actually told Dean where Sam was headed. I just left out the part about Gordon since Dean has a tendency to over react where his little brother is concerned," Ellen half-heartedly defended herself.

"I'm heading that way now. Love you, Mom."

"Love you, too, Jo. Take care of yourself and the boys."

...

Thirty minutes later Jo picked up her cell phone again. She bit her lip before making up her mind. Once she did, she quickly scrolled to the one contact she could never bring herself to call. Her thumb hit the call button before she could change her mind.

"Hello?" the gravell voice on the other end almost caused Jo's heart to stop.

"Hey, Dean," she greeted him weakly.

"Jo? Are you OK?"

"I'm fine. I'm actually calling about Sam. Where can I meet up with you?"

...

"Looks like Sam is better than OK. You sly dog," Dean chuckled out of the Impala's window as a woman appeared in Sam's motel room window.

Jo leaned over and punched his arm.

"Ow! What was that for," Dean hissed at her.

"You may not realize it but there are many other reasons Sam could have a girl in his hotel room. Like maybe she has some psychic ability too?"

Dean bit back his retort as the hotel window shattered.

"Sniper on the roof!" Jo exclaimed.

"You keep an eye on Sam and the girl!" Dean ordered as he dashed out of the car.

She watched Sam for several minutes before he left the hotel room. She followed him and the mystery girl across the street and up the stairs to the roof of a building. She reached the top of the stairs just in time to hear Sam explain to the girl why he thought someone had a gun pulled on Dean.

"He gave me a code word, someone's got a gun on him. Funky Town. He made it up; it's a long story," Sam said at Ava's confused look.

"That would most likely be Gordon Walker," Jo interjected.

"Jo? Does Dean know you are here?" Sam asked as he quickly hugged his friend hello.

"Yes, we were working together but he left me to keep an eye on you while he came up here," she smiled up at him. "Turns out I had the easier job."

Sam raised an eyebrow.

"You were working with Dean?"

"Just working. And only for you. Mind introducing me to your friend?" Jo nodded at Ava.

...

Dean tried his best to distract Gordon while he tried to think of an escape plan. Luckily the psycho had no idea Jo had been helping Dean, she at least was safe for the moment. He fought his panic down as Gordon detailed his plan to kill Sam, including his plan for two trip wires. Dean couldn't lose his brother. His heart constricted at the thought of Jo getting caught in the crossfire. He had done his best to keep away from her to keep her safe, and now he would have to sit here and listen to her die if she came with Sam. Knowing Jo, she would not sit and patiently wait while Sam came alone.

...

Jo escorted Sam and Ava to her hotel room. Sam filled her in on everything that had happened since he left the Roadhouse, including Ava's dream about him dying.

"Jo, you should take Ava back to Peoria. I'll go get Dean," Sam turned his full puppy dog eyes on the women.

"No, Sam! Gordon is after you, not me. Dean would never forgive me if I let you walk into a trap," Jo fumed.

"I saw you die in my dream, Sam! I can't just let you go," Ava passionately argued.

"I have to go save my brother!"

"Sam, I know you want to save Dean, but I am going in your place. I apologize and hope you forgive me," Jo said before releasing her right hook.

For good measure, Ava hit him on the back of the head with her purse.

"Help me drag him to the desk," Jo groaned as she dragged an unconscious Sam across the room.

Together, the two women managed to get the larger Winchester across the hotel room and tied up. Once Jo was satisfied that Sam's bonds were secure she handed Ava a shotgun and cell phone. Carefully she eyed Ava.

"You can't miss with this as long as you aim in the general direction of your target. If you have not heard from Dean or me in half an hour call one of the two numbers programmed in the phone; one is my mom while the other is Bobby Singer. They can help you get Sam out of town. If Gordon finds out about you he will come after you too. Now, tell me every detail you remember about the dream. The smaller the detail the better chance I have of getting Dean out with both of us alive."

...

The sound of a lock being picked made Dean's heart race. The thought of Sam and Jo moments from death while he was powerless to help them weighed heavily on his mind. He could hardly breathe as he waited for the first explosion. He cringed and closed his eyes as he waited for the next. The heat at his back filled him with despair.

...

Jo walked around the building several times trying to find the best way in. The only way in was the door Ava had described from her dream. Gordon wanted to force Sam though that way.

Her heart pounding, Jo crouched in front of the door. Using her father's lock pick kit she carefully picked the lock and pushed the door open. With trained eyes she scanned the hallway for the first trip wire. She took a deep breath before throwing a rock at the trip wire. Quickly she turned, pressing her back against the building as debris flew out the door. She counted to three before turning back to the doorway. The second trip wire was harder to locate. She repeated her procedure with the rock and ducking to the side of the doorway. One more time she counted to three before facing the door again. She couldn't see another trip wire but just in case there was one more, Jo threw a handful of gravel. When nothing happened she carefully made her way down the hallway.

Jo grinned when she found Gordon's back to her. She held her gun to the back of Gordon's head, his back stiffened as she cocked the gun.

"Drop the gun, Gordon," she snarled.

"You shouldn't take your shoes off around here, you could get tetanus," Gordon replied.

"I said drop it!" Jo yelled.

"What would your mother say to you helping Winchesters? Helping monsters?" Gordon asked as he dropped his gun.

"My mother would be proud," Jo answered in defiance.

Gordon stepped away from Jo and spun counter-clockwise. He let a punch fly as he came to face the petite blonde hunter. Jo ducked, his arm missing her by several inches. With her left leg she roadhouse kicked his knees. He dropped to the floor where Jo stomped on his face twice. She raced to Dean untying him quickly.

"Long time no see, Winchester," she smirked.

She pulled Dean to his feet, shocked when his arms wrapped around her. She felt a brief pressure on her head then a quick brush of Dean's chapped lips against her forehead. Almost as quickly as he hugged her he released her. In half a second he had retrieved Gordon's discarded weapon. He leveled it at the downed hunter.

"Dean!"

"I let him live once, I'm not making that same mistake twice, " Dean growled.

"No! Sam would not want you to. Besides, Gordon is taken care of, trust me. We need to leave. Now. Let's go get Sam," Jo pulled his arm and headed out the door.

Dean lowered the gun. He extracted his other arm from Jo, moving it around her shoulders instead. Jo turned to him with a smile, a smile that faded as bullets flew around them. They moved to a running crouch as they headed away from the source of the bullets. Dean pushed her into the bushes, covering her body with his. The sound of police sirens brought a laugh to his lips.

"Anonymous tip," Jo managed to gasp.

"You are a fine upstanding citizen, Jo Harvelle," Dean smirked, pulling her tighter against him.

...

Back at Jo's hotel room a recently untied Sam escorted Ava to her car with a promise to check up on her in the next day or so. Dean paced in front of the hotel room while Jo pretended not to her Dean's half of a phone conversation as she packed up the room.

"Why did you send your daughter in after a madman, Ellen? She could have died! Sam and I could have handled it," he ranted.

"Well maybe she was supposed to talk to him before that happened, but that would have killed her sooner. He is beyond reason now."

He paused, his head tilted for a moment.

"Thanks though, Ellen. She saved our asses- just don't send her after us again."

Jo smiled to herself as she closed her suitcase. Maybe someday he would take REO's advice and quit fighting.