DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, that owner goes to Eric Kripke who I love and adore for having Harmony AKA Mercedes McNab appear as a vampire =P
***
Self-righteous bastard. There were far worse things to call him but at that moment she wasn't thinking too clearly.
"The hell I'm not. I'm a part of this now."
She couldn't be out of this now even if she wanted to. She had to know, was it true? Her mouth set in a firm line eyes watching carefully as a flurry of emotions passed over Dean's face.
"I can't say it more plain than this. You try to follow me and I'll tie you right back to that post and leave you here. This is my fight. I'm not getting your blood on my hands. That's just how it's gonna be."
There was something more to his words, something he wasn't saying. He stared down Jo, their eyes locked in a fight. Heaving a sigh he broke away intent on heading for the door.
"Wait."
She pursed her lips and tossed the small bottle of pills to him looking pointedly at the glass of water on the bar.
"Here. Take these, they'll help with the pain."
Dean tossed two back and drained the glass smiling sarcastically at the blonde.
"Happy now?"
Jo just smirked picking up the discarded tissues and gauze from the bar and dumped them in the bin.
"I'll call you later, okay?"
Jo didn't bother to turn around, a small smile playing on her lips. Dean glared at her back and grunted; he was two steps from the door when his vision blurred and he blacked out, a slurred curse falling from his lips.
"No you wont."
***
She idly wondered what he would be most pissed about; her drugging him or driving the impala. Her money was on the car; he had some kind of unnatural attachment to the damn thing, which he insisted was a she. Boys and their toys. She was loathe to admit it in his presence but the car did handle beautifully even if the radio and tape deck combo left a lot to be desired. It had taken her ten minutes to drag his ass from the bar and onto the back seat, she'd considered taping his mouth shut but figured he'd just whine about it later. Careful to keep one eye on Dean and one eye on the road she sang along to the AC/DC tape she'd found in a sea of Zeppelin and Metallica.
"Cause the walls were shaking
The earth was quaking
My mind was aching
And we were making it and you-"
THUD!
Jo stopped singing leaning forward to turn down the volume checking her mirror for what could have caused the loud thud. Snorting back a laugh she eyed Dean who was struggling to sit up from the floor of the impala where he had rolled off.
"Bitch."
That curse came out loud and clear not that Jo minded she'd figured on Dean using more words of the four-letter variety when he finally awoke properly. Peeking in the mirror she tried not to laugh at Dean with his hair sticking up in several directions, eyes unfocussed, hand clutching his injured shoulder.
"Now, now is that anyway to speak to the person in charge of keeping your precious car on the road?"
Dean snarled crawling into the front seat to open the glove compartment.
"Looking for this?" Jo asked holding up the gun she'd stashed in her lap for safekeeping.
"I can't believe you drugged me, damn it Jo! This isn't a game!"
"Really? Cause when I was tied up back in the bar listening to some demon bitch telling me how they were going to wear my insides as a party hat it certainly felt like a hootenanny to me!" She snapped back, sarcasm, a language they were both fluent in.
Dean scowled at the blonde who was strangling the steering wheel, her eyes were flashing with anger.
"Look I didn't ask for this Dean! I don't know how it found me or why it wanted me but I sure as hell am not going to sit on my ass and wait for a phone call from you that aint ever coming."
Her nostrils flared slightly when she was angry colouring her cheeks a rich crimson. Dean shifted in his seat cursing himself for reacting to her like this, damn her pouty lips and sarcasm.
"It's my brother trapped inside his own body while a demon takes it for a drive!"
"Yeah and it was my body it wanted to play with, I think I deserve to see the son of a bitch sent back to hell. You can't tell me you wouldn't want the same exact thing."
Jo's voice had that sharp edge that was cutting into him, his head was throbbing and his shoulder ached, he couldn't drive which meant he couldn't just dump Jo on the side of the road no matter how tempting the thought. Even if Ellen tried to shoot him, the weighty glare of Jo's mother flashed through his mind, okay maybe it wasn't worth that.
"Do you even know where you're going?" Dean asked trying to catch a glimpse of a road sign but it was too dark, the rain too heavy for him to see any. Jo rolled her eyes switching gears with ease.
"You said you were headed for South Dakota, only hunter I know that keeps a base there is Bobby.
Tried to call him but the phone lines are out, all of them."
Dean fell silent watching Jo, her face had that same mask of confidence it always had but it was harder. He was tempted to ask what had happened, it couldn't have just been the attack, there was definitely something different about her.
"Damn it." Dean cursed under his breath, that was definitely not good. "Since we're stuck together you may as well tell me what the demon said that's got you so pissy."
Jo peeked at Dean from the corner of her eye, her lips pursed together. Reaching forward she grinded the gears relishing in the sounds of indignation Dean made.
"Whoops."
"Come on Jo! If you're pissed at me be pissed at me but don't take it on my car, she's innocent in all this."
He actually stroked the dashboard slightly as he said this. When he acted like this it was very hard to stay mad at him.
My daddy shot your daddy in the head.
Sam's voice flashed through her mind, her body shuddering involuntarily. Hot tears threatened to spill down her face breaking her resolution that she would never cry in front of a Winchester. Of course Dean would notice the silent tears making a path down her cheeks.
"Oh hell, don't cry. Jo please?"
It took every ounce of strength not to react when Dean's calloused thumb reached over and wiped the tears from her eyes. She wanted to slam her foot down on the brakes and ask him what the hell he was doing. Quite possibly throttle him, or jump him, the two impulses were very close at that moment. But she couldn't, she refused to let herself be distracted.
"I'm sorry okay? I'm sorry."
She was unprepared for the sincerity in his voice; it was completely devoid of its usual gruffness that made her shiver.
"Don't be… just…just understand where I'm coming from."
The stray rocks thumped the undercarriage of the car jostling it as Jo sped down the empty roads.
"I'm not some little girl; I have no illusions about this life. It's messy and lonely and likely to get me killed."
"Hey we agree on something."
Jo laughed in spite of herself allowing a small smile to grace her lips.
"But I can't not do this Dean. Knowing what I know, I can't just stick my head in the sand and pretend the world isn't going to hell. And you shouldn't ask me to."
She hated how small she sounded, like she was begging for his approval. The tape popped out of the deck leaving the somewhat comfortable static white noise to fill the void.
"What's so wrong about wanting you to live a normal life? Don't you think someone should?" Dean answered his argument sounding weak even to his ears, Jo bit back a snort.
"Is that what you said to Sam when he packed his bags for Stanford? Gave him a pat on the back and said enjoy the life we never had?"
Dean didn't answer and Jo smiled in triumph.
"Yeah that's what I thought. I can do the job Dean; I know the risks, I know them better than most. And I'm not just going to sit back and let my father's death be in vain. He died trying to make the world a safer place for us and if I go out the same way at least I'll have no regrets."
"No regrets huh?"
Jo's gaze slid over to the injured hunter who was trying not to show the pain in his shoulder, she breathed in slowly tightening her grip on the steering wheel.
"No regrets."
Well maybe just one but he didn't have to know that.
***
Bobby's place was dimly lit as Jo pulled the car around, there were a few lights on in the house, she didn't know if that was a good sign or not.
"Looks like someone's home." She commented pulling on the handbrake. Dean groaned as he cracked open the door his shoulder aching like a bitch. Ignoring Jo's offers of help he hoisted his bag over his good shoulder and trudged up the steps. Raising a finger to his lips he motioned for Jo to follow after him as they slipped into the house.
"Dean I was wondering how long it would be till you got here." Bobby said stepping into the light a small bottle of holy water in his hand, which he pushed towards Dean. "And Joanna Beth, don't tell me this idjit got you mixed up in all this?"
Jo stepped forward and hugged the old hunter tightly easily accepting the holy water and taking a healthy swig of it poking her tongue out at him afterwards.
"Nah that would be the bitch wearing Sam's body." She replied peering over his shoulder. "He is here aint he?"
Bobby nodded stepping towards the empty dining room where an unconscious Sam was bound tightly to a chair under a devil's trap.
"How did you know?" Dean asked dumping his bag on the ground and taking a seat.
"I didn't, all my drinks are spiked with holy water." Bobby answered eyeing Dean's shoulder and glancing back over at Jo. "What happened?"
"Don't know exactly." Dean began taking notice of Jo's frown. "He disappeared a few days back, I found him in a hotel begging me to kill him. He clocked me, when I came to I tracked him to Duluth."
Bobby followed Dean's line of sight and looked over at Jo who was staring at Sam.
"I didn't realize it wasn't Sam until too late." Jo said eyes still locked on Sam. "Lucky for me Dean showed up when he did." She shuddered lightly snapping her eyes back to the two hunters.
"He the one that shoot you or did you say something Jo didn't appreciate?" Bobby asked only half joking.
"A girl busts one kneecap at a bar and no one can let it go." Jo muttered huffily, Dean raised his eyebrows at Bobby who shook his head slightly, not exactly the time for that particular story.
"That was the demon, thought Jo's first aid hurt a hell of a lot more than the bullet."
Bobby's face-hardened and he glared slightly at Dean, Jo was smiling inwardly after all Bobby was the one who taught her to pull out bullets in the first place. He inspected the wound quickly and shrugged.
"It's fine ya big baby." Bobby dismissed it quickly. "Anything else you two can think of before we wake the demon up?"
"There was a funky looking burn on his arm." Jo spoke up. "I noticed it and he covered it up pretty quick. Looked fair recent."
Dean snarled and stalked over to his brother not bothering to be careful as he manhandled him checking his arms over, holding his forearm up he showed Bobby who swore.
"It's a binding link. It's like a lock. He's locked himself inside Sam's body."
"Well how do we break it?" Jo asked staring at the ugly burn mentally berating herself for not taking more notice of it earlier.
"I don't know." Bobby answered truthfully. "Dean get back, we don't want you in there when he wakes up. I'll call Rufus see if he knows anything about mystical locks."
"I'll try Ash." Jo offered pulling her cell phone from her pocket and hitting the speed dial. Dean just nodded faintly not really listening, as the two barked into their phones, One day if you can't save him you'll have to kill him.
***
The smell of burning flesh was something she sincerely hoped she would never get used to. Bobby didn't even blink as he held the cattle rod to Sam's arm sizzling the flesh; she wanted to gag but somehow managed to stay rooted to the spot. Dean was watching coolly, although his tightly wound fists and jaw gave away that he was not as immune to the sight as he wanted people to think.
The skin began to crackle red and black eyes peered out from Sam's face, which twisted into a cruel smirk. Bobby jumped out of the devil's trap and stared right at Jo. "Now!"
Unlike Dean who butchered the language the Latin that fell from her lips was pronounced with perfection, that boarding school had been good for something. She didn't falter once when the demon that wore the face of a friend screamed obscenities, calling her every name under the sun.
"Keep it going Jo." Dean barked while Sam, or rather the demon in Sam contorted in pain.
The black cloud of smoke shot out of his mouth leaving behind Sam black eyes gone, his normal hazel ones now rolled back into his head. Dean rushed to his brother pulling the binds away, Jo didn't dare try to help him.
"You did good." Bobby told her in a low voice keeping his eyes on the brothers Winchester. "Your daddy would be proud."
Jo smiled to herself, her daddy hadn't wanted this life for her, he was probably pissed as hell that she was anywhere near it but she knew he respected it. He always respected it.
"They be okay?" She asked nodding at Sam who was beginning to wake up although he looked as though it were the last thing in the world he wanted.
"No." He answered honestly. "But they wont let that stop 'em."
Dean glared over at her when she let out that small laugh; she glared back trying to stay serious for a moment but failing miserably. She poked out her tongue before turning back to Bobby lifting her shirt to show him her hip.
"They should probably get one of these done."
Her fingers brushed against the black tattoo that marred her flesh, she usually would have enjoyed having one up on the Winchesters but not in this case.
"Clever." Bobby commented eying the marking. "Ash?"
Jo rolled her eyes. "Who else? Mum nearly had a heart attack when she saw it. Refused to let Ash have a beer for three days."
Bobby smiled appreciatively clapping the young girl on the shoulder. "Only three?"
"It was either give in or kill him." Jo shook her head recalling those very long three days. "Had to wrestle the damn shotgun out of her hands."
"Hey butcher, if you two are finished chatting over tea and crumpets you think you could help me stop Sam from bleeding all over the carpet?" Dean interrupted gesturing to Sam who was now fully awake and groaning in pain. Jo smiled tightly at the elder Winchester and accepted the towel he tossed to her holding Sam's arm she wiped at the scarred flesh of the burn that would not heal well at all.
"Bobby you got any healing salve, this burn looks toxic?"
Sam bit down on his belt that had been thrust into his mouth while the other three had rounded up the ingredients needed to clean out the burn on his arm. Jo had cut away the shriveled up skin not once blanching at the grossness of the task.
"This is going to sting like a bitch. On three."
Sam tensed anticipating his brother's predictable move of skipping the countdown and just starting at one. His skin smoked and he screamed in agony his teeth tearing into the tough leather. The putrid stench of the healing gunk that Bobby had smeared combined with the burning flesh left a horrible taste in his mouth.
"Don't worry Sam, chicks dig scars." Jo promised shooting him a wink. Stretching his jaw he nodded weakly.
"Sorry Jo, I didn't mean-"
"Hey, don't you start with me. That wasn't you, I get it." She assured him quickly not wanting the already broody Winchester to pile even more regret onto his shoulders. "So don't apologize just get one of these and we can forget all about it."
Dean stared at the circular design etched onto her skin, his fingers itching with the desire to trace over it.
"What the hell is that?" He asked pulling the bandage he was wrapping tight ignoring Sam's groan of pain.
"Stops you from being possessed." She answered. "Ash told me about it."
"You ever hear of it Bobby?" Sam asked his voice still hoarse.
"I've seen the runes but I've never heard of using it as a tattoo but its clever and definitely something Ash would come up with. But I aint exactly in a hurry to make a date with a needle, my necklace will suit me fine."
"Aw come on Bobby." Jo teased throwing her arm around him. "You're not afraid of a little needle now are you?"
"No." He snapped back. "I just aint in a hurry to jam my skin a couple hundred times with a needle, if I wont to curse for a couple of hours I've got those two for that." Bobby's thumb jerked over to the Winchesters who would probably have looked offended if they were paying attention.
"I'm putting him upstairs."
It was as close to a bedroom as they had, Dean half carried, half dragged his stupidly tall brother up the stairs thankful he had passed out some minutes ago if only to escape the bitching he would have heard on the way. It was only when his brother was situated more or less on the bed, shoes off and lightly snoring did he allow himself the smallest of time to breakdown.
"Don't you ever do that to me again." He whispered angrily, his hand grasping his necklace so tight his palm was slick with blood.
***
That is how it should have gone down. No if you MUST have more please let me know. I am a die-hard Jo/Dean fan and am still holding on to the hope that she will drop in once more, we've already had an Ash reappearance. Also I would love to see Missouri again =P