Here's the next chapter! Hope you guys are enjoying this, I really love writing this one, and I love Dean/Jo so here you are. :D

"Have you talked to her lately?" Sam asked.

He and Dean were sitting in the impala on a case. It was a few months after their father's death, and Sam had gotten tired of talking about his psychic problems or missing Jessica. Dean needed to talk out his feelings for once.

"What? Who are you talking about?" Dean asked.

"Dean who do you think I'm talking about?" Sam asked him.

"Sammy, we're not doing this chick flick moment thing."

"Dean, Ellen left a message on Dad's phone. We should go and see them, we haven't seen them in a long time. I miss them and I know for a fact that you miss Jo."

Dean glared at his little brother, but Sammy was right he did miss her. He missed her so much that it hurt. Every breath was like a knife wound to his heart and he couldn't get her out of his head.

"She's not gonna wanna talk to me, Sammy."

"You don't know that."

"Oh yeah I do."

Sam sighed. He'd been keeping in touch with Jo ever since he'd gone off to college. He was always emailing her. He remembered Jess getting jealous about it so he had to explain who she was to her.

Sam walked into the room to see Jess peering down at his laptop that he had left open when he went to the bathroom.

"Hey watchya doin'?" he asked her.

"Who's Jo?" she asked squinting at him and putting her hand on her hip.

Sam huffed out a laugh, "She's a family friend, and we've been best friends since I was like five."

"And this is who you've been constantly emailing?"

Sam frowned, "Wait, Jess, hun, are you…are you jealous?"

Jess snorted loudly and blushed furiously, "What? Noooo…."

"Jess, you don't need to be jealous. I don't think of Jo that way, she's like a sister. One of the reasons that I've been keeping in touch with her, other than the fact that she's family, is because my brother's in love with her."

Jess raised an eyebrow, "Your brother?" she asked, "As in the infamous, Dean Winchester that you think of so highly and look up to, but haven't even talked to since you started school?"

"Yes that would be the one."

"And he loves her?"

"Like nobody I have ever seen love someone. It literally physically hurts him to be away from her."

"But he is?"

"It's complicated."

"Doesn't sound it."

Sam sighed. Dean was right, Jo was going to be pissed, but her happiness and love for his brother would heavily outweigh her anger.

"Dean you need to see her." Sam said.

"I know, but what if she doesn't need to see me like I need to see her?" Dean whispered.

"Trust me Dean, you don't need to worry about that."

-x-

Jo was slouched over the bar flicking her dad's knife back and forth. She'd already punched two guys and kicked one in the balls for trying to get into her pants. That wasn't happening, ever. Jo was in love, and nothing any other guy could do was going to change that.

She hadn't seen Dean in two years. Two years, and she was so angry that she could shoot his balls off if she saw him again. She knew she wouldn't, though. If she saw him again, her anger would shrivel, because she'd be too happy that he was there to think about her anger.

But she wasn't thinking about her happiness when he broke into her and her mom's bar. She was a little wrong. Her anger flared when she saw him, and it flared even more when he pulled her gun right out of her hands.

So, she punched him in the nose.

"Hey Jo," he almost whispered. His voice was muffled by his arm.

"Jo you know the boys are here?!" Ellen asked coming through the back with Sam following her like a puppy.

"Yeah no shit." Jo growled.

"Hey Jo." Sam said with a smile and Jo grinned right back and ran over to him.

"Hey Ellen." Dean said sheepishly.

"Dean." Ellen said stiffly.

"Sam!" Jo said happily, "I missed you!"

Sam picked her up and spun her around in a hug, "Hey Jo, I missed you too."

"Um, hello?" Dean said holding his arms out to his sides, "Where's my welcome home?"

"I'd think that a punch in the nose is a pretty solid welcome." Jo said releasing Sam.

"Jo-"

"Save it." Jo growled and went to wipe down the bar.

"Honey," Ellen said looking at him, "You've been gone much longer than either of us expected. She's hurt inside. Don't you dare try and fix it if you know you're gonna break it again."

Dean nodded.

"Trust me I don't aim to break anything. It's been too long, and honestly I'm not even sure how I made it this long without seeing her Ellen, I don't know what to say."

"You'll know." Ellen said, "Come on Sam, your brother and Jo need some alone time."

Sam and Ellen went out back and Dean turned to watch Jo walk around in the empty bar.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

Jo's head snapped towards him, "You're sorry?" she asked, "Sorry isn't gonna sweeten my coffee Dean. It's bitter and black and I'm gonna need a little more than just sorry."

"I know," he said sitting on a bar stool and looking her in the eyes, "I know, trust me I do. I can't begin to forgive myself let alone expect you to. I just want you to know why I left."

Jo raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue.

"My dad he uh, he needed me. Sammy was gone, off to college, and I didn't know what to do with myself, and then he went missing. I don't know how much Sammy's told you, I know he's been emailing you, he thinks I don't. Uh, then uh, not long after we found Dad he died. He died Jo," Dean's voice cracked and Jo's feature's softened immediately, "And I wanted to come home, I wanted to come back to you and just let you hold me, yah know? But Sammy, he, he was having these weird psychic visions and everything was just so confusing I didn't know what to do."

Jo sat down on the bar stool next to him and took his hand but didn't say anything.

"So I stayed away. My dad died for me Jo, and so did my mom and just…I didn't want to put you in danger. Everyone I love is in danger. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you or Ellen. Ever. I can barely live without you while you're alive Jo, I won't be able to live without you if you're dead."

Dean's eyes were filled with tears and one spilled over and he swallowed, his throat was dry and he couldn't speak anymore. Jo pulled him to her, holding him tight against her chest while he cried. His body shook with sobs and he wrapped his arms around her waist and held one like she was an anchor and if he let go he'd be lost.

"Shh Dean, shhh," Jo said stroking his hair, "Listen to me, Dean Winchester, I will always be here when you need me, and if you need me, you gotta let me know. I work at a bar for hunters Dean, my dad was a hunter, I'm not going to be safe 24/7, and being with or without you isn't going to change that. So next time? Just come home, please just come home."

Dean nodded against her chest, and sniffled loudly, his breathing was steadier and the tears had stopped.

"It hurt when you were gone Dean, I was and I am a broken mess of pieces that might not fit back together. I missed you."

Dean pulled back, still in her arms, and looked at her. He lifted his hands to cradle her face, "I'm so sorry," he whispered, "I'm so sorry Jo. I know it hurt because it hurts even more when you're the one doing it to yourself. I missed you every second of everyday. I'm just as broken as you are, but maybe my pieces can fit with yours."

Jo laughed, "This is so corny."

Dean grinned even though he still had tears in his eyes, "Don't ruin the moment."

"Sorry." She said pressing her lips together.

"Listen Jo, I wanna…I wanna give this another go. I can't be here all the time no matter how painful it is, and I'm not taking you with me, but" Dean sighed blushing and smiling shyly, "Jo you're the god damn love of my life and I like having someone to come home to, and coming home to you? It's the best thing I could ever ask for."

"Dean from what I understand you left, but we didn't break up. You just left, and it hurt like a gunshot to the heart but I still love you, more than should be allowed. We don't need to give this 'another go', we just need to pick up where we left off."

A smile spread its way all the way across Dean's face. Jo gripped the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled him in for a strong kiss. Dean sighed of relief and squeezed her tight, drawing her even closer to his chest. The kiss was so full of love and longing and relief that you could feel it all around the room.

Sam and Ellen walked back into the bar and Sam cleared his throat loudly and Deana and Jo pulled apart blushing.

"Everything good?" Sam asked.

"Better than good." Dean nodded and the brothers smiled at one another.

Ellen walked over and gave Dean a hug, "I'm sorry about your daddy." Dean nodded, "Sam here says you need help tracking a demon."

"Yeah, the one that killed our mom and dad." Dean said leaning against the bar with his arm around Jo's waist.

"We can't help, but Ash can." Jo said, Dean looked down at her.

"Who's Ash?" Sam and Dean asked in unison.

"You two have been gone for two years, you missed some things." Ellen said, "Including meeting our newest member of the family."

Dean raised an eyebrow and then Sam jumped three feet in the air when Ellen yelled right in his ear, "ASH GET UP."

Over on the pool table a small man got startled awake, "Closin time?" he asked and then fell off.

Dean laughed and Sam huffed out a chuckle.

The boys met Ash, they liked him a lot. They took a case while they were waiting for Ash's results on the demon and Dean was fidgety the entire time. Being away from Jo was difficult because he'd just got her back.

When they headed back to the Roadhouse Dean couldn't help grinning from ear to ear.

"Dean? It's okay if you wanna stay for a week or two. I don't mind, I like it here." Sam told him.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah Dean, I think we both deserve a little break."

Jo was wiping down a few tables when the boys pulled up, normally she would have run outside at the sound of the impala but she couldn't hear it over all the hunters and the music. She was in the midst of giving a creepy hunter a disgusted look after he winked at her when the door to the bar opened and Sam and Dean walked in.

Dean immediately looked for Jo when they stepped into the bar and when they locked eyes across the room they smiled at each other. Jo zigzagged through the tables and jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him right on the mouth.

Dean chuckled and then hummed into her unexpected kiss. He kissed her back and then set her on her feet but kept his arms around her.

"Now that's a welcome home." He said with a grin.

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried." She said quietly.

"Trust me, I ain't gonna die out there when I've got you to come home to."

"Hi Jo, I'm fine by the way, just in case you were wondering." Sam said with sarcasm dripping from his voice. Jo pulled out of Dean's arms and gave Sam a tight hug around the waist and got on her tip toes to kiss his cheek.

"I was worried about you too Sam."

Dean threw his arm around her shoulders and kissed her head as they walked to the bar. He couldn't help but notice all the hunters staring at them. He wasn't the only one who noticed.

"They're all giving you the stink eye, Dean." Sam observed.

"Yeah no shit." Dean said frowning, "WHAT ARE YA'LL STARIN' AT? " Dean shouted at them.

"Every one of these godforsaken bastards thinks they have dibs on Jo," Ash said sitting down next to Sam, "None of em' will do nothing cuz Ellen'll kill em', but uh, I don't think they like you much, since she kissed you an all."

Dean smiled to himself and tightened his arm around Jo. Jo glared at the men.

"Get on with your lives before I shoot all of you." She hissed and they shuffled and went back to their business. "Dumb ass creeps." She mumbled.

The year went on as smoothly as any Winchester's would. Dean tried to visit Jo as often as he could and he called her every night and filled her in on what happened on a case he finished or how Sam was.

There was that time Jo snuck on a hunt with them and they almost got her killed and Ellen was so pissed that she could have torn Dean in half with her bare hands. Dean knew that Jo wanted to be a hunter, and after that hunt he knew why, and he wasn't going to stop her no matter how much he didn't want her involved. He understood her, and if it's what she wanted then he wasn't going to take that from her.

When they got back to the Roadhouse Sam and Dean waited outside while Jo and Ellen had it out. There was screaming and yelling and cussing and then when it fell silent, Dean looked up and shared a worried glance with Sam.

Jo came storming out of the Roadhouse and walked right past him.

"Hey Jo, are you okay?"

She didn't answr him. She kept walking away and he grabbed her arm.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Let go of me!" she said angrily. He did.

"Jo, what's wrong?"

"You wanna know what's wrong?" she asked seething, "The last hunt my dad went on? He wasn't alone. He normally worked alone but this time he had a partner. A partner that used him for bait, and he didn't make it out alive. But his partner did. You know what his partner's name was? John Winchester."

Jo's eyes filled with tears and she turned on her heel and stormed away. Dean was stunned into silence for a moment. He didn't know what to say and he didn't know what to do. He cleared his head and ran after her.

She was sitting in some grass under a tree behind the Roadhouse. She was crying.

Dean sat down across from her.

"Jo-"

She looked up at him, "Did you know? Did you know it was your dad?"

"No," Dean said looking into her eyes, "No I didn't know Jo, and if I did then I would have told you. I didn't go on the hunt with him, I was only eight years old, and he never told me anything." He reached up to stroke her face and she leaned into his touch.

"Jo I'm so sorry. My dad wasn't right in the head, not since my mom died, he did a lot of questionable things, but this," Dean shook his head and closed his eyes. Jo saw the muscle in his jaw twitch, "If he was alive I would tear him a new one I swear to God-"

"Dean." Jo whispered, "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

"Don't be." He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.

Then Sammy died. And then Dean sold his soul. He didn't know how to tell her so he supposed he would just tell her the truth as bluntly and clearly as he could.

Sam and Dean walked into the Roadhouse and Jo looked up from a book she was reading at the bar. She smiled but it faded when she saw Dean's face. When she saw how sad he looked. Sam smiled sadly at her and went to find Ash. Ellen was on a pretzel and peanut run.

"Hey Jo." Dean choked out.

"What happened," she said looking up into his face, "What's happened."

Tears filled his eyes and he hugged her. He hugged her tighter than he ever had before and then pulled her outside and went to the impala so they could lean against it. They needed to be alone.

"Dean?"

"Before I say anything else I want you to know that I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" she asked holding his face in her hands. He leaned his cheek into her palm.

"I'm sorry because I've hurt you."

"What?" she asked, "Dean what did you do?"

"He was dead Jo." He whispered, "He was dead, it was my job to protect him and I let him die! I had to do it."

"Who was dead?" she asked quietly.

"Sammy." Dean said, his voice cracked, "Sammy was dead. So I sold my soul."

Jo's eye widened and her breath caught in her throat. Tears welled in her eyes.

"How long?" she whispered, tears welled in his eyes again but he didn't answer, "How long, Dean?!"

"A year."

She was crying now, she slammed her forehead on his chest and hit him with her fists until she couldn't anymore and just sunk against him in defeat.

"I'm sorry." He said into her hair as he stroked her back, "I'm sorry. Sammy was dead Jo, I can't…I couldn't live without him, just like I can't live without you."

"Did you ever think that maybe the feeling was mutual?" she asked angrily, "Dean I only have a year left with you. That's not enough….it's not nearly enough."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking about anything accept bringing Sammy back."

Jo nodded and they stood there silently for a moment before she spoke again, "I'm coming with you."

"What?" he asked pulling back.

"You're going to continue hunting right? When you and Sam leave I'm coming with you."

"Jo I don't know if that's the best idea-"

"Dean, I am coming with you and nothing you, or Sam, or my mother can say will change that. I want to be with you as long as I can Dean, and this is how we do it."

"Fine."

"Fine? That's it?"

"On one condition."

"And that is?"

Dean looked down at her for a moment, he stroked her cheeks with his callused thumbs while he held her face before saying, "Marry me."

"What?" she asked surprised.

"You heard me." He said with a small smile, "Marry me. Marry me and I'll take you with us. I love you Jo, you and no one else. I've only got a year left to live and I'd like to move my plans forward a little."

"You're plans?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah my plans. I was planning on marrying you at some point, but now that I've got a year to live it seems like there's no better time than now."

Dean reached into his back pocket to retrieve his wallet and Jo watched as he opened it and pulled out a ring. He slid the wallet back into his pocket and got down on one knee, holding the ring out so she could see it.

"Joanna Beth Harvelle, I love you, more than you could possibly imagine, and I would rather be eaten by a wendigo than have to live the rest of my regrettably short life without you. Will you marry me?"

She was crying and then she was nodding her head up and down and up and down.

"Yes," she whispered, "Yes of course I'll marry you, you asshat."

Dean laughed. He actually laughed out loud. It was the happiest sound that Jo had heard from in a long time. He slid the ring onto her finger and pulled her into a tight hug, spinning her around in a circle and then setting her on her feet so he could kiss her senseless.

"It was my mothers." He said, "The ring, I mean."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said nodding as they made their way back into the roadhouse, "She would have wanted you to wear it."

"I'm honored." She whispered and then Ellen came storming out of the back with Ash and Sam on her heals.

"Dean Winchester you dumb son of a bitch." She said slapping him across the face, and then she pulled him into a hug, "Oh my boy." She whispered crying.

Dean hugged her, "I'm sorry Ellen, just like I told Sammy, and Bobby and Jo, I had to. I just had to."

Ellen nodded when she pulled away and wiped away her tears.

"Why are you smiling?" she asked Dean and Jo.

"I told Dean I was going with them, mom." Jo said and before Ellen could protest Jo continued, "He didn't want me to at first but I insisted so he gave in on one condition."

"And that is?" Sam asked.

"That I marry him." Jo said smiling sadly and held out her hand to show them the ring.

"That was moms." Sam observed, "It looks beautiful Jo."

Ellen stood there in shock and Jo sighed, "Mom I love him. I don't know why but I do, and he's only got a year left, I don't wanna miss any of it."

Ellen pulled her into a hug, "I'm happy for you." She told her, "For both of you."

"Where're you gonna tie the knot?" Ash asked.

"I was thinking Bobby's house." Dean said with a grin.

They all drove to Bobby's house the next day. When they all showed up on his porch he was happy but fairly confused before Dean and Jo told him the big news. They got married two days after that; Rufus married them, Ellen and Bobby walked Jo down the 'isle', Sam was Dean's best man and Ash was Jo's maid of honor. It was a small ceremony, only those in the wedding were there.

Dean leaned over and fell onto his back next to Jo in bed. Their chests heaved and sweat was cooling on their bare skin. They were smiling.

"Te amo." i love you. Dean whispered into her skin after he turned over and laid his head on her chest and placed a small burning kiss between her breasts.

Jo ran her fingers through his hair with one hand and held his hand on her lower abdomen with the other.

"Etiam te amo." I love you too. She whispered.

"I'm so sorry Jo" he said pressing his face into her and wrapping his arms around her middle, "I'm so sorry."

"I know." She whispered, this time so quietly that Dean had to hold his breath to hear it.

-x-

Two days after the wedding Dean, Jo and Sam packed up and headed out. They said their goodbyes to Ellen and Bobby, and Ash and Rufus and started hunting again.

It was hard for Dean because he was in constant worry that Jo was going to get hurt, and it was hard for Jo because she was in constant worry that Dean was going to die before his time was up.

The two did enjoy going under cover as couples once in a while because they actually were a couple, and they liked bothering Sam with their PDA and even though they needed alone time Dean insisted they keep getting one room instead of two. He wanted to spend as much time with his little brother his wife before he bit the dust.

"Damn it." Dean said looking at the case that Sam had handed him.

"What?" Sam and Jo asked at the same time.

"Remember that summer Sammy? When I was like nineteen, before I was with Jo, and uh, I spent that entire week like away from you and Dad?"

"Yeah, you were busy having a week long orgy with that yoga instructor." Sam said without thinking and then shut up when he saw Dean's glare.

Jo raised an eyebrow, "What about it?"

"This is uh" Dean swallowed, "This is where she lives."

"So?" Sam asked.

"Does she know what you did for a living? If you didn't tell her an we go undercover as feds than it should be fine." Jo assured her.

"You're right." Dean said.

They headed back to the motel room after attending Ben's birthday party, son of Lisa, the yoga instructor. When they shut the door Sam and Jo turned on Dean.

"Did you see Ben?" Sam asked, "He was like your clone dude."

"Is he your son?" Jo asked quietly.

"No, he's not." Dean assured her, "I asked Lisa and she said it was a biker guy at a bar. She even showed me the DNA test."

"That's what I thought, but I just wanted to make sure." Jo said sighing in relief.

"What do you mean, 'that's what I thought'?" Dean asked.

"Well he doesn't look like you." Jo said with a shrug, "Nothing about his features looks remotely like you or Sam at all. His personality is what's similar, and that doesn't make you related to someone."

"Oh." Sam and Dean said at the same time.

Jo helped Dean rescue Ben and the other kids from the Changeling while Sam tried and finally succeeded in killing it. They brought Ben back to Lisa's.

"So you're not feds are you?" she asked.

"Nope." Sam said.

"And you do this, you hunt monsters for a living?" she asked.

"Yeah," Dean said rubbing the back of his neck and Sam smiled sheepishly at her.

Jo beeped the impala's horn loudly and Sam shuffled his feet.

"Thank you." She said, "For saving Ben."

Lisa walked up to him and kissed him right on the lips when Jo walked in to get them. Dean pulled away blushing and wide eyed while Jo looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"She was uh, saying thanks." Dean choked out.

"Was she?"

"Ask Sammy, I swear."

Sam nodded and Jo glared at Lisa.

"I'm confused…" Lisa said slowly.

"Uh Sammy here is my little brother," he told Lisa, "And Jo is my wife."

Lisa's eyes popped out of her head in surprised, "Oh, you're uh…you're married."

"Yup." Dean said popping the p in the awkward silence.

"I'm sorry I didn't know." Lisa said blushing.

"Its fine," Jo said waving it off, "I probably would have done the same thing," Lisa smiled but then it turned into a frown when Jo added, "But kiss him again and I'll shoot your boobs off."

"Okayyyyy," Dean said putting his hands on her shoulders and steering her out of the house.

Sam looked at Lisa apologetically, "Sorry about that. They just got hitched, Jo gets jealous. So does Dean for that matter. They're kind of sensitive right now."

"I see," Lisa said nodding, "Are you married?"

"No! No, I'm not." Sam said awkwardly.

"Well, thank you too." Lisa said and gave Sam a quick kiss too before he headed to the car.

-x-

When the hellhounds tore Dean apart Jo screamed and cried. So did Sam. When Lilith's powers didn't work on Sam and she ditched they both went to Dean as fast as they could. Sam held Dean in his arms, and Jo laid her head on his chest and they cried. Jo didn't care if his blood got in her hair or if her cheek was resting in his wounds. She cared that he was dead.

Sam set Dean back down and grabbed Jo into a hug. He cradled her in his large embrace and they cried together. After they buried him they went their separate ways. Sam went to Bobby's and Jo went back to the Roadhouse.

Jo through herself into hunting and Sam through himself into hunting Lilith.

Down in the pit Dean screamed for Sam and he screamed for Jo, they were the only ones who kept him sane.

-x-

Four months later Dean woke up in a pine box.

Sooooo that's the second installment! Obviously it's a little AU because the Roadhouse didn't burn down, Ash is still alive, Lisa and Dean never happen, blah blah. BUTTTT I still wanna know what you think! Review please? One love.

Liz.