Gahh, I did the best I could writing Jo so I hope I havent screwed up too much! Trying to keep the characters as un-OC as possible is difficult.
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Reviews are greatly appreciated,
Enjoy!
I had most of my audio recordings transcripted by the time I realized that Julius wasnt going to be back with either of the Harvelles that night. I returned to my hotel room in a pissy mood and was about to call it a day when Julius barged in.
"The 'Do not disturb' sign applies to both humans and reapers, you know." I grumbled at him as he made himself comfy on my bed.
"I've been working my ass off these past few days and this is how you repay me? Remind me never to help humans again. You're all so bitchy when you don't get enough sleep." He retorted.
"Save it for the souls, Julius, and just get on with why you're here."
"Do you want the good news or bad news first?"
"It depends, is the good news good enough to make up for the bad news or is the bad news just too bad and it doesn't really matter run which order you tell it to me because I won't be happy either way?" I asked and he made a face at me.
"I'm just gonna choose the order and tell you the good news first; Jo agreed to talk to you!"
"Awesome!" I hastily began to gather my supplies. It would be a late night, but it would be worth it. "And what about Ellen?"
"That's the bad news - she said no." I felt my heart sink.
"Did she say why?"
"Not really. I didn't push her too much for an answer. That woman would've torn me to shreds in a heartbeat, I don't even doubt it." Julius shrugged nonchalantly.
"Just great, one without the other. I was really looking forward to talking to her too. She would be had some good stories, I just know it." I bit my lip and sighed in frustration.
"I figured you'd be pissed so I made a plan B. That's just how great I am."
"Plan B? What's plan B?"
"Don't have time to discuss it right now, meet me at the Roadhouse, I'll be there with your next victim...Or whatever you kids are calling them these days." Julius rolled his eyes and was gone before I could yell at him. Muttering under my breath about his stupidity, I packed up my gear once more and headed back out to the Roadhouse. I never thought of it as eerie during the day, but in the dead of night the ruins were downright terrifying. I stayed in my car with the doors locked and radio playing while I waited for Julius and Jo to show up. Talking to certain ghosts was one thing, unexpected encounters were another. I was losing hope again when there came a knock on my window and a pale white figure put their face near the glass. Julius was nearly pissing himself laughing as I tried to compose myself after screaming bloody murder for way longer than I should have. Turns out Jo had agreed to not only talking to me, but also aiding Julius in scaring the shit out of me after I wasn't more grateful for what he had done. As with Jess, Jo appeared borderline transparent and the moonlight gave her a very ethereal glow.
"Not funny, you two." I said, hiding my red cheeks as I set up my recorded on the hood of my car and made sure my pen still worked.
"It was a little funny." Jo teased as she sat up beside me on the hood.
"I suppose, but it makes me look highly unprofessional. And that's saying something since this situation can't really be described as professional." I muttered more to myself than anyone else. "Anyway, you are Joanna Beth Harvelle, daughter of deceased hunters Ellen and William Harvelle, am I right?"
"You've done your research." She noted.
"Ugh, more than I think you realize. So, tell me about Winchesters. Broad question, I know, just answer as obscurely as you can." In Jo's presence I felt myself slipping into more casual conversation as opposed to straight Q&A type responses.
"Obscurely? Well...I guess you could say they were the reason I continued hunting."
"Continued hunting?" I cocked my head curiously at her.
"I didn't start because of them, you can thank my dad for that, but you could say I was allowed to after I met them. I probably would have anyway but my mom was never to keen on the idea, didn't like that I was following in my dad's footsteps. Of course, once Sma and Dean came along she loosened up a little and even joined in once the Roadhouse burned down."
"Isn't it scary though? Hunting? Willingly chasing after all the ghosts and ghouls we're taught to fear as children?"
"Of course it was, but it felt right, you know? I never was big into school and never fit in with kids my age but I could always relate to the hunters that would stop by the bar. Be cheesy and call it destiny, but I got to live a hunter's life and die a hunter's death and I really couldn't have asked for more than that." Jo laughed but there was a look of sadness in her eyes. I was about to comment on it when Julius gave a loud, forced cough. I looked at him expecting time to be up, but instead he gave another series of forced coughs saying "Ask her about Dean." in between them. I whipped my head back around to see a blush creeping up on Jo's pale cheeks, something I didn't think was possible for a ghost.
"What about Dean? Did something go on between you two?"
"Great, just what I need, my lasting impression on you is gonna be that I was some lovesick little girl. Don't you dare even think that for a minute!" She wagged a finger warningly at me before sighing and continuing, the blush still present on her cheeks. "No, nothing happened between us, if circumstances had been different then maybe it would've been a possibility but things just didn't work out that way for us. It wasn't for lack of interest, I liked him and I'm sure he felt the same, life and those demons we were chasing just got in the way, that's all."
"And death."
"Yeah, thanks for bringing that part up." Jo rolled her eyes and laughed. "My mom and I's sacrifice is why those guys are alive today, so make sure you write that point down and underline it."
"Is that why your mom won't talk to me? Because they got you killed?"
"I wouldn't say that. They didn't force us into the line of fire, my mom and I willing walked into that war. We chose to stick behind and set off the bombs that killed us, not them. Sam and Dean tried their best to talk us out. I suppose she could be harboring some anger over it, but that's not like her." She furrowed her brows. "I didn't know she refused to talk to you, if you want I can get Ash's help and we can try and convince her to change her mind?"
"Don't bother, my rule going into this was that I wasn't going to force anyone to do this if they didn't want to. I'll just cross her off the list and move on to someone else." I shrugged and flashed her the page of all the names.
"You made a list? Is Bobby Singer on there? Make sure you talk to him, he was basically a second father to Sam and Dean."
"He's on there, I'll put a star next to his name."
"What's the point of all this anyway? Talking to all the dead people they once knew."
"The best way to find out about someone is to ask the people who knew them best. Everyone has something different to say about them and if I put it all together, I'll get a bigger picture. A glimpse into their lives so to speak."
"Forgive me for being obvious, but why not just talk to Sam and Dean yourself? It seems a lot easier than raising the dead." Jo said bluntly.
"It would be be, but I think my interest in their lives might creep them out a little. It probably creeps you guys out a little. Plus this can serve as my first major research project and who knows, maybe when it's all done and over with I'll write a book." I smiled at her but she didn't look convinced.
"Whatever, I guess you have your reasons." Jo nodded over to where Julius was starting to get antsy. "Looks like we're going to have to wrap things up before your boyfriend blows a gasket."
"He's not my boyfriend, and I suppose you're right. I'm not gonna lie, it's a shame you have to go. That's the part I'm starting to struggle with this job, knowing that I'll never get to see you guys again." I replied.
"Not necessarily. Look me up when you die and we'll hang out more. I'll teach you how to shoot a gun." She teased, hopping off the hood of the car. "If by chance you do run into Sam and Dean, tell them I said hi, okay?"
"Will do, see ya Jo!"
"Bye!" And then just like the others, she was gone. I tried not to dwell on it too much as I packed up and headed back to the hotel room. I wanted to get a bit of a nap in before Julius showed up again. I got about half an hour before the edge of my bed sunk down a bit and a glass of cold water was dumped on my face.
"Argh! What the hell! You couldve just said something or turned an alamr on like a normal person would!" I complained rubbing my eyes.
"Yeah, but where's the fun in that?" Julius said innocently.
"Waking people up isnt a task that has to be fun. What do you want?"
"I have plan B!"
"Who is this plan B person anyway? How far down on the list did you go?" I reached for my notebook and began to flip through it.
"She isn't on your list; she's on mine. And it wasn't easier getting to her and I'm probably gonna get in shit for doing this so you'd better be grateful this time."
"I can't be grateful if I don't know who it is!" I said exasperatedly.
"Her name is Bela Talbot," Julius began. "And I think you're gonna like her."