Jo sat in her car shivering. It was just above freezing and she was trying to work up the courage to go inside. Fifteen minutes turned into twenty as her teeth started to chatter.
"Fuck it. You're a big girl Jo," she said to herself before finally getting out of the car. She stuffed her hands in her pockets looking at the back of the Harvelle Roadhouse. It was a little after ten in the morning and Jo had driven all night to get home.
She sighed before opening her backseat door. This wasn't gonna be fun, she thought as she grabbed her bag and headed through the back door which led to the back part of the bar which served as the Harvelle residence.
It almost felt like the old days when she'd sneak in after staying out all night. She closed the door as quietly as she could. She avoided the creakier baseboards and skipped the louder steps as she made her way to her room. Reaching her room, Jo let out the breath she'd been holding in. She hoped her mom wouldn't notice her return just yet. All she wanted was to sleep for a few hours before dealing with the questions and the inevitable yelling
She closed her door and threw her bag on the ground. She stumbled to her bed not bothering to undress and instead just collapsed onto her bed and slept for the next five hours without interruption.
Jo was awake. Her eyes were closed, but she was awake. And she was also aware she should have locked her door.
"Ash I know you're there and you know how I feel about you watching me sleep," Jo mumbled loud enough so he could hear.
"But you're back," Ash said. She could hear the excitement and relief in his voice which made her open her eyes. She rolled over and gave him a small smile.
"For now," Jo said quietly. She wished she didn't need her mom. She wished she could handle the fact that a friend had tied her up and almost...well almost raped her. She knew Sam had been possessed, but it didn't really make it any easier. But that was the one place she wanted to go after Dean left, besides follow him, she wanted to go home and curl up with her mom.
"Does Mom know?" Jo asked sitting up slowly. She rubbed her eyes looking at her old friend standing in her doorway. She grabbed her pillow absentmindedly, hugging it against her stomach.
"Your mom knows all Jobelle. She knows the last vegetable I ate, the last tip she got, when I masturbate to Bill's old playboys. Everything," Ash said raising an eyebrow at the blonde. Jo chewed on her bottom lip debating whether she was just being a pussy about the whole thing.
"How bad is it?" Jo asked having a bad feeling about just how mad her mom was. She'd taken off without as much as a goodbye. Sure she'd sent a postcard or two, but not enough to please her mom or herself for that matter.
"Think Iron Maiden," Ash with a grin. Jo groaned loudly at that, stumbling to her feet. She had no idea how Ash knew about the moments she got in the worst trouble, but he did. It was back in '95 and Jo went out to an Iron Maiden concert while being grounded and then stayed out all night. When she'd finally wandered back home, her mom had been the maddest Jo had ever seen. She hadn't been allowed to leave the bar, except for school, for a good six months. Jo was not looking forward to seeing her mom anytime soon if that was the case.
She frowned at the afternoon light coming into her window. The bar was probably open by now. "I'm 22, it's not like she can ground me," Jo said mostly to reassure herself as she wandered over to her closet, ignoring her bag for the time being. Ash nodded in agreement with a sly smile.
"Right but if I know a pissed off Ellen, which I do because I'm the son she never wanted, I'd think you'd want to be grounded," Ash said before turning to leave to let her get dressed. He paused though, turning on his heels pointing a finger at her.
"Got you a present," Ash said with a smirk before leaving the room entirely and heading downstairs.
Ellen was serving a table of regulars their usual of beer and burgers when she heard the door to the back open. She turned instantly, her face brightening at the sight of her daughter. She quickly put down the food and rushed over. Before grabbing her, she made sure Jo was in one piece. Then without warning, Ellen hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head.
"Don't you ever pull that shit again, ya hear?" Ellen asked grasping Jo's face tight. She kissed her forehead before hugging her again.
"Mom, I can't breathe," Jo said, holding back a smile, secretly enjoying hugging her momma. Ellen let go though, content to just stare at her daughter for a few moments.
"You cut your hair," Ellen said reaching out and touching Jo's shorter blonde hair. Jo frowned then smiled forgetting for a moment that she'd done it. She reached up self consciously and straightened it.
"Yeah, I needed a change," Jo said licking her lips nervously. She was waiting for the dragging to the back, then the yelling and possible slapping. Ellen never hit Jo, just merely slapped her upside her head when she was being stupid. Which Jo knew her mom thought she had been doing.
"It looks good," Ellen said with a smile. She touched Jo's cheek lightly before going back behind the bar leaving Jo dumbfounded as to what had just happened. She turned to Ash giving him a 'what the fuck' look before gulping thinking maybe this would be worse than yelling. Ash shrugged sitting at his usual table.
"Mom, are you okay?" Jo asked taking a cautious step towards the bar in case Ellen decided she wanted to throw something. Ellen frowned at her daughter, of course she was fine, Jo was safe.
"Baby girl, are you okay?" Ellen asked narrowing her gaze at her daughter. She went back to wiping down the counter figuring Jo would come clean with why she'd come back in her own time.
"Yeah I'm fine," Jo said completely confused as her mother's actions or lack of actions. She took another step towards the bar, leaning against it.
"Ash got you something," Ellen said with a smile and nod in Ash's direction. Jo turned back instantly at that, her eyes growing wide with excitement. She grinned at her friend as she walked over to his table.
"What'd you get me?" she asked, almost like a little girl on Christmas. He flipped his hair back, giving her an unreadable look.
"Now, I only got this for you because I'm not gonna be your bitch research boy if you're gonna go off hunting. And if you watch porn, you have to let me know so I can come and watch it with you," Ash said narrowly pointing a finger and wiggling it a bit at Jo.
He then reached under his chair and pulled out a silver laptop with a red bow tied around it. Jo clasped a hand over her mouth in surprise. That was not was she was expecting, well she never knew what to expect with Ash.
She reached out to take it, almost afraid she'd break it. She'd only used computers in school and that was forever ago. But she did take it from Ash and sat down next to him at his table where his own computer sat.
"Where did you...how did you...?" Jo asked, hugging it close to her chest. Ash brought a finger to his lips, grinning at her.
"That stays up here little lady," Ash said tapping a finger on his temple.
An hour later Jo thought she had the basics down for her new laptop. She knew how to turn it on, how to get online, and Ash had even set up an instant message account for her so he could talk to her while she was gone. He claimed she didn't know how to use a phone because she had neglected to call him while she was gone which Jo felt guilty about.
"So what drug did you put my mom on?" Jo asked Ash quietly as she fiddled on around on the internet. Ash smirked then shrugged.
"I didn't do a thing I swear. She was mad then she started going away for a few days at a time and stopped being as mad," Ash said before finishing off his beer. He propped his elbows on the table and leaned in closer to Jo.
Jo frowned at this new information, she put in her back pocket, so to be speak, to think about later. This was definitely not normal Ellen Harvelle behavior.
"So are you gonna tell me why you suddenly showed up?" he asked quietly. Jo stared intently at the screen. She was not going to tell them she had decided. Sam was a great, nice, sweet guy and she was not going to ruin their perception of him.
She signed on to that instant message thingy or that's what she called it to distract herself from Ash for the moment.
"Oh hey Sam's online," Jo said trying to sound enthused. She gulped silently wondering whether she should click on his name or not.
"How's the little guy doing?" Ash asked before standing up to get another beer. He could take a hint. He knew when Jo was avoiding and knew when it was better to keep his mouth shut to avoid being hit himself.
"Good," Jo said forcing herself to go and click on his screen name.
jharvelle:
Hey Sam, it's Jo
Sam was sitting in at Bobby's place on his laptop. They were working on a shape-shifter case close by and it was just easier to stay at his house. Although Sam did find it odd he hadn't let them over when they'd first asked, but he did finally which was what Sam guessed counted.
His eyes grew wide at the chat box that had popped up. His mouth grew dry and he rubbed his neck nervously. He felt horrible about what he'd done, not that he remembered it, but Dean had filled him in on what he'd seen.
swinchester:
Hey Jo. Did you get a computer?
jharvelle:
Ash got me one as a homecoming present.
swinchester:
So you're back at the Roadhouse?
jharvelle:
Yeah I just got back this morning
swinchester:
That's good Jo, I'm sure Ellen was worried.
Sam took a sip from his coffee feeling more nervous. He wasn't sure how one went about apologizing for tying someone up. Then Dean walked in and his palms began to sweat more.
"Find anything?" he asked, coughing a little to keep his voice from sounded too 'off.' Dean glanced up from the book he'd been looking at, shrugging.
"The landlord said we needed a search warrant," Dean said, plopping down on the couch. Sam nodded going back to his computer screen.
"I can go out later and check it out, you look exhausted man," Sam said, frowning slightly. Dean rolled his eyes. He was exhausted, but there was a shifter out there and that came first.
jharvelle:
She was...I think. So how are you guys?
swinchester:
We're good. Working this case at Bobby's.
Listen Jo, I'm really sorry about what happened. I would never do anything to hurt you, you know that right?
Jo paused at that. She had hoped it would just get swept under the rug which she guessed if it had been Dean it would have.
jharvelle:
I know and Sam I know it wasn't you. I might have not put it together at first, but I know it was some demon bitch using your body.
swinchester:
Good. So how are you doing?
jharvelle:
I'm okay. How's Dean?
Jo chewed on her lip nervously. She knew she was being stupid asking about Dean and also putting Sam in the middle of whatever they had or most likely didn't have, but she couldn't help herself. She was curious, no she was worried. This stupid crush on a guy who didn't know she was alive didn't seem to want to go away.
Sam smirked at his computer glancing over at his brother who seemed to be concentrating on his book. If his brother only knew, but either Dean didn't realize Jo's attraction towards him or he didn't care, Sam didn't know which.
swinchester:
He's good, tired but good. Hey we're not too far from the Roadhouse, maybe we could stop by?
Jo froze at that. She glanced over at her mom who was busy with Heidi, one of the three bartenders who worked at The Roadhouse. She turned back to her screen, rubbing her hands before she started typing again.
jharvelle:
Naw, same old Roadhouse here. Better to focus on that case
swinchester:
Yeah, you're probably right. Hey I gotta go check out something for this case, I'll talk you later, okay?
Sam stood up, not bothering to shut his computer. His brother avoided it when he was tired anyway.
"I'm gonna go and check out that apartment before he closes," Sam said putting on his coat. Dean looked up from the book, nodding. He'd been a dick to that asshole landlord so it was probably better Sam went alone for this one.
Jo sighed, staring at her screen. She glanced around the bar slowly getting busier. Her mom told her that Heidi was in tonight and she should just rest, but Jo was already bored.
Dean watched Sam leave with a smirk and got off the couch. He wandered over to the computer unbuckling his pants as Bobby was out and he had the place to himself. He rubbed his hands together sitting down, frowning at the name 'jharvelle' on Sam's screen. He scrolled through the box reading the apparent 'secret' conversation between his brother and Jo. He didn't like this. He wasn't sure why, but he knew he hated it. Sure Jo was hot, but he knew better than to go there.
swinchester:
Jo?
Jo was about to get up and at least try to help Heidi and her mom when her computer beeped at her. She frowned at the screen wondering what had happened.
jharvelle:
I thought you had to go for your case
Dean grinned. He knew he should correct her, but he was bored and well a little jealous she'd been talking to Sam and Dean had never handled jealousy well.
swinchester:
Oh, right that. I sent Dean. He's better at that stuff
jharvelle:
Depends I guess on what the stuff is
Dean glared at the screen. He was good at everything what was she talking about.
swinchester:
Dean's good at a lot Jo
Jo shook her head quickly, then realized he couldn't see her began to type again. That wasn't what she meant at all. She knew how Dean tended to be around Sam and well she was trying to be nice. She stood up, stretching slightly, before heading out of the bar having something to do now. She walked quickly up to her room and settled at her desk with her computer.
jharvelle:
Believe me I know, Sam
Dean's well...he's Dean
swinchester:
What's that supposed to mean?
Jo froze. Well now she'd gone and done it. She could just sign off and pretend like she hadn't said it. No, she wouldn't do that. She was a big girl, she could talk to Sam about Dean. They were all adults, as long as he didn't go running to Dean she didn't see a problem and hell maybe it would help her get over Dean.
jharvelle:
It means I think you're brother is perfect Sam. Ever since you two came into the bar, I can't stop thinking about him. And I know it's stupid and teenagerish, but I can't help it. Please don't tell him, okay? Can this just stay between us?
Dean licked his lips before smiling to himself. Somebody thought he was perfect. He sat back in his chair, just staring at that message. And Jo couldn't stop thinking about him, hell he thought he annoyed her as much as she annoyed him. Sure they'd flirted, but that had been all, nothing else. But she thought he was perfect.
swinchester:
Wow, I had no idea you felt that way Jo. Yeah, this'll stay between us no problem. So for that long huh?
Jo breathed a sigh of relief. She thanked whoever was up there that this wasn't going to leave the conversation.
jharvelle:
Shut up. I said it was teenagerish okay. Look I know he doesn't know I'm alive so let's just drop it and talk about your case
Dean frowned at that. She was kidding right? Of course he knew she was alive, who wouldn't notice that ass alone?
swinchester:
I'm sure he knows you're alive Jo
jharvelle:
Right Sam, sorry but you're wrong. Dean Winchester, your brother, is the biggest womanizer I've ever met. Yes I haven't seen him act that way, but word gets around working around hunters. And word is not good. So while I may be stupid, I'm not dumb. So please don't try and sugar coat it for me Sam. Dean's a dick and will always be a dick and does not know I'm alive or if he does, I'm the annoying blonde who got Ellen mad at him.
Dean couldn't believe what he'd just read. She couldn't mean that. Sure, he got around, but he wasn't a dick. That kind of pissed him off, no it really pissed him off.
swinchester:
I'm...Dean's not a dick Jo and he's not a fucking womanizer. And yeah you know what you are annoying and stupid.
Jo's eyes grew wide at the screen. Something wasn't right. Sam would never call her stupid, especially for stating an obvious fact about his...brother. That's when it hit her. She snorted not believing he had fooled her this long.
jharvelle:
Dean? I swear if this is you, I'm going to cut you up into little tiny pieces and feed you to a werewolf.
Jo was freaking out, no that was an understatement. If this was Dean, who she was almost sure it was, she had just told him how she felt about him. And now she needed to go find a hole or her shotgun, one of the two.
swinchester:
Jo, remember Dean's out on the case. This is Sam.
jharvelle:
Uh huh right. Like I said, I'm stupid, not dumb asshole. Just fucking admit it Dean. I can't believe you sat here and pretended to be your brother. Dick move.
swinchester:
Jo calm down. It's Sam. I'm the nice brother remember?
jharvelle:
Fuck you.
Jo pulled out her cell phone and found Sam's number quickly. She hit the send button figuring she'd end this once and for all.
Sam held up a finger to the landlord. "Excuse me for a moment, it's work gotta take this," he said offering a small smile. He flipped it open stepping into the hallway.
"Jo is something wrong?" he asked frowning thinking something had happened. Jo felt her anger rise. Son of a bitch. She was gonna kill him.
"Just your asshole brother. I'm assuming you're working on the case right? And not at your computer?" Jo asked standing up. She began pacing her room trying to decide the best way to make Dean Winchester hurt.
Sam's eyes grew wide and he mentally slapped himself for not closing his computer.
"Yeah, I'm at an apartment building across town, at an interview. I'm so sorry Jo, I should have closed the computer," Sam said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Jo took a deep breath trying not to snap. "No, it's not your fault Sam, it's Dean's. Good luck and I'll talk you later. And next time our code word is strawberry okay? So I'll know it's you," Jo said as she continued to pace her room.
Sam smiled, nodding. "Yeah, that works. Don't hurt him too bad, I gotta go," Sam said before hanging up the phone.
swinchester:
Calm down Jo. It's not Dean, he's at the thing.
jharvelle:
Right, I'm sorry. I just had a momentarily freak out. Exhaustion I guess
Jo sat back down at her computer determined to beat Dean at his own game. Fuck him, he was going down.
swinchester:
It's okay. You should probably get some sleep
jharvelle:
I would but see the real reason I came home today was one of the friends I met at college.
swinchester:
That's cool. What are you two gonna do?
Dean was more than relieved she had believed him and now his complete focus on the idea that there was a good chance Jo had a hot college friend over there with her right now.
jharvelle:
We were actually wondering if you wanted to come over and have some fun with us.
Dean's eyes grew wide and a dirty smirk crossed his face. This was getting better and better. First Jo thought he was perfect, now he was gonna get to have a threesome with her. He almost pinched himself to see if he was dreaming.
swinchester:
Oh? What kind of fun?
Jo shook her head, holding back laughter at how easy this was. He was gonna pay and he was gonna pay hard.
jharvelle:
The kind involving whipped cream...
Then she sat back for a few minutes. She got up and began to unpack her clothes letting Dean fester a bit while her computer beeped with his messages.
swinchester:
And...
...
Jo?
Come on.
Don't leave me hanging here.
Jo?
Dean was all but squirming in his chair. This was killing him. He needed to be there with two girls, getting it on.
jharvelle:
Sorry. Alicia wanted to get started without you apparently. She's a bad girl Sammy
swinchester:
I bet she is. Give me a few and I'll head down
jharvelle:
Just you Sam. No Dean.
Dean froze in the process of getting on his jacket. He forgot that he wasn't exactly himself. He quickly thought for a moment trying to think of a way to wiggle himself in.
swinchester:
Why no Dean?
jharvelle:
Because he's a buzzkill Sam. And plus I heard he has a little problem with keeping it up if you know what I mean. So no deal if Dean walks through those doors.
By this point Jo had lost it. She was laughing so hard tears were rolling down her face. She finally calmed herself down trying to keep her cool. Revenge was indeed very sweet.
swinchester:
I HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM KEEPING IT UP THANK YOU.
I mean...Dean's never had a problem keeping it up
jharvelle:
No deal, only you Sam. We want you Sam. Dean's not nearly as hot as you are.
swinchester:
But what if I'm busy and can only send Dean?
jharvelle:
Nope. Only you.
swinchester:
Nothing's wrong with Dean. I want the best for my brother Jo
jharvelle:
Uh...yeah Sam. I heard not only does he have problems staying up, but he tends to use too much tongue. And he got the clap from some waitress in Houston.
swinchester:
YOU. FUCKING. BITCH. I HAVE NEVER HAD THE CLAP, I GET MANY COMPLEMENTS ON MY SKILLS THANK YOU VERY MUCH. STOP FUCKING SPREADING LIES.
jharvelle:
Game. Set. Match Winchester.
Fuck you Dean Winchester. Lose my number.