All In a Nights Work

Rated: T (intended violence)

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural in anyway.

Summary: Dean is being a bit overprotective of Jo and she's had enough of it.

The cool night air felt good against her forehead. Normally, hunting would have been as simple as tying a shoe. Find the job, figure out who the targets are, secure any possible casualties and set the trap for the big baddie. Get in and get out.

But of course, there are always drawl backs in a occupation. Things may or may not go as planned.

Jo sighed, her head falling back against the headrest of her seat. 'This so wasn't what I had planned.'

The loud, annoying crunch of a wrapper grated on her nerves like nails down a chalkboard. Fingers twisting around the black barrel of her flashlight, she tried her hardest to remain calm and concentrate on the job at hand.

Stake out. They were on a stake out, waiting out on a possible werewolf on the loose. Rumors were circulating. Animal attacks and missing victim's - minus severed limbs left behind, littered police reports. Jo almost gagged at the memory of when having checked out the coroner's office to view the bite marks on those limbs.

More crunching, followed by a large gulped pulled her back from the grotesque memories and straight to the nagging presence of her uninvited partner.

CRUNCH.

"Would you stop that already?" All movement stilled. Turning in her seat slightly, she found two wide, innocent looking eyes watching her. "Yeah, don't look so innocent. You could wake the dead with how loud you eat. And why exactly do you find it the time to eat chips and tacos on a stake out anyway?"

Swallowing a mouthful of food, Den sighed. "What? I can't eat?"

Jo rolled her eyes. "Why are you here again? I mean other then to drive me to insanity."

"Cause you need me." He wiped a hand down his jean clad leg.

"No." Jo leveled a glare at him. "It's cause my mother asked you to. God! I'm not a little child out in the big bad world waiting for some bad guys to come and snatch me up. I'm a hunter damn it and a damn good one at that! I don't need a babysitter."

Dean cocked a smile at her that said 'Sure sweetheart, whatever you say' in a condescending manner that had her hands clenching even tighter around the flashlight, wishing that it were the guy's neck instead of just metal.

After a moment, she huffed out a pent up scream that sounded more like a growl and turned away, eyes back outside.

What would it take for someone to take her seriously as a hunter? Did anyone look at her and not think "boobs" and "legs" before jumping to "quick lay"? Or even the girl in distress act?

Though - she admit that was a very useful tool when in need of cash to hustle a few hunters and pervs here and there.

Maybe if she started packin loaded guns under her jacket as a means for better incentive they would definitely take her seriously.

"Wipe that smile off your face buddy, or I'll do it for you." She snapped when she finally glanced over to find him smirking at her like he knew exactly what was going through her mind at that moment.

Dean crossed his arms over his chest, looking extremely proud of something. She didn't like that look at all. "Bossy are we?"

Her jaw locked. "Don't push it Winchester. I just might end up using you as bait."

An eyebrow rose high at the hostility. "Man. I knew I was hated but not quite like that."

Looking everywhere but toward her partner, Jo finally landed back on the street where the next possible attack would take place.

"I don't hate you." She finally whispered after a few short moments of not liking silence any better. "I just wish people would leave me be."

Dean leaned closer, his scent burning her nose like a taunting reminder of what she couldn't have. "Sounds kind of lonely to me."

Trying to distract herself, Jo finally gave up and looked into those two eyes that looked as though they'd seen death itself and still managed to rise from the ashes if only to haunt her dreams.

"Speaking of which," she breathed out slowly, "where is Sam?"

Even thought it was painfully obvious that she was trying to change subjects, Dean followed the change in topics like he hadn't noticed. He patiently held his composure like a saint and Jo felt ready to throw some punches to get back the old Dean.

She did not like this one. The one that acted as if he were no longer among the living. Like he were a simple observed amongst the crowd of mortals. She found that the spontaneous, humoring yet dangerous Dean that she'd fallen for had disappeared the second she caught sight of him sitting on her motel bed two nights ago.

"He's on his own hunt." He answered.

Did she detect a bit of jealously in his voice? She nearly leapt at him to finally break free and rant at her. "Really? With who?"

"No one important."

Answering that just a little quickly, Jo smiled triumphantly at him. It was his turn to look uncertain. "No one important or someone you don't think is important but is?"

Dean glared at her. "Keep that psychobabble they taught you in that fancy school to yourself will you. It's nobody."

They sat quietly in the pregnant pause of silence. Jo curious. Dean avoiding.

"It's a woman isn't it?" Jo finally said, somewhat flat. Maybe Dean had a thing for her and she only had eyes for Sam? Though Jo would have thought it stupid to pass up someone like Dean, she also found it hard for someone to not pass up a guy like Sam either. She mentally berated herself at how she always went for the bad boys instead of the good ones like Sam. "You like her but she's Sam's girl?"

Dean's eyes widened so much, she almost thought he was having a heart attack. "Are you insane? I don't like that demon. I mean yeah, she's hot but considering that she likes to walk around in some poor woman's meat, I can't even really call her hot. Just the meat."

Now that wasn't what she was expecting. "Demon? Sam's with a demon and hunting another demon?" Brow furrowing, her lips twisting in a frown. "I'm confused."

He sighed. "It's complicated."

"Obviously." She muttered.

"Lets just worry about the hunt alright. How much longer do we have?"

Checking her watch, it would be about ten more minutes before their guest of honor greeted them. "Ten. So, this demon. She and Sam are together?"

She would swear the man looked as though he'd been stabbed a few times with the look of pain concentrated on his face as he tried very hard not to show any emotion. Yeah, that was totally working. Not.

"Well?" She insisted when he didn't speak.

He finally did glare at her. At least it was something, right? "You are nosey."

"Yeah and your obnoxious. What's your point?"

"He's with a demon whose helped us out in the past. Unfortunately, Sammy seems to think that she's also good in bed. I don't know why. Don't really want to know." He looked to Jo. "There ya happy now?"

She suddenly felt like a brat. The look on his face shattered the patient Dean she'd seen since they'd met up for this gig. Now she really wished she hadn't poked and prodded.

"Sorry." She whispered, pulling her watch up to spot the time.

He gave slow nod. "It's fine. When's old ugly supposed to-"

A large, very big shadow leapt from behind a truck, the shapes of what appeared to claws slicing along the truck's side door. She internally cringed at the noise. "-about now." She answered his unfinished question. They quickly geared their weapons ready, silver bullets loaded into a shotgun along with an assortment of silver tipped blade daggers.

They waited with baited breath as their prey started to head in their direction, going back toward the alley that would be painted for the monster's targeted prey. Why he went after homeless men instead of the usual passerby, she figured it called for desperation or laziness, she didn't have time to dwell on it as the beast changed course as a young brunette teen headed down the street. "Shit!" Dean spotted her as well and was already falling out of the car when the werewolf landed on the hood fo the Impala. The car screeched in anger as it bounced from the added weight before popping back up when the it jumped toward the girl.

Too late to sense any danger, the girl let out a choked sob as the werewolf stood at about a size that double her small stature.

Quickly Jo made it around the car and threw one of her daggers, hitting it in it's back. It yelled as the silver dipped into it's bloodstream. Though it wouldn't kill, it sure as hell hurt. "Dean hurry!" She called as she landed another one into it's shoulder blade and leg. The beast backed up, momentarily disabled. Jo managed to get over to where the girl stood frozen and knocked her down just as a claw swiped where her head would have been. Grabbing her arms, Jo hauled them both up and dragged the teen toward where the Impala sat just as Dean let loose a few silver bullets into the back of the werewolf. It screeched, pissed and turned to run at him. Dean ducked, swung up with the butt of the gun into it's jaw causing it to stumble.

Assured that the girl was safe inside the back of the Impala, grabbing the extra gun in the car, Jo headed back toward the street where her partner let loose a few more bullets. Obviously pissed, the werewolf blindly and managed to nick a claw into Dean's shoulder. He grunted, stepping back. Jo hoisted the gun up and fired at the damn thing's chest. It was enough to cause the fucker to back up and allow Dean to safely away. "What now?" She heard him called over the blaring of the guns. She glared at him and caught sight of his shoulder. It looked a lot worse then she had thought.

Keeping the gun wedged between her arm and breast, she pulled out a long dagger from her boot and flipped it in her hands so that the daggered sat better in her hands. "Distract him. I'll squeeze my way in and do the rest."

"Are you insane?" Dean asked, again for the second time that night as she ran to the left of the werewolf, already in motion. "Why do I even bother asking?" He mumbled to himself.

....

They sat at the bar, beers in hand as Jo grinned at Dean in an ear to ear grin.

"Knock it off." He snipped.

She shook her head, the long blonde strands smacking him in his un-bandaged arm. "Not until you admit it."

Swallowing a large gulp of beer, Dean squared his shoulders before wincing. "Fine. You were good tonight." Jo glowed even harder so he continued. "You were the perfect amateur for throwing yourself at the thing like a fast food meal."

He should have expected it but the sailing punch that landed into his arm nearly threw him fall straight out of his seat. "Jackass." She seethed.

With a another wince, he breathed out. "Spoiled Princess."

Her foot connected into his leg. "You just don't want to admit that a woman helped you and your sorry ass."

Cocking an eyebrow at her, he laughed. "Your kidding right? Are we really going to go into the whole gender issue? I don't care if you're a girl. Women are just fine as a hunter."

Jo leaned in, her eyes spearing him. "You just said it. 'You're a girl'. I'm a woman. Whether you or my mother believe it or not. So deal with it."

Dean went quiet, then laughed.

"What?" Jo had leaned back into her seat, eyes now sparkling with curiosity.

He linked his hand on the green beer bottle. "Suddenly you look a lot more sexier."

She flushed as Dean laughed even harder then took a long hard swig as he said good bye to his sanity for the last time.

FIN