A/N 1. Dear Diane Langley, C1B12 your feedback is like a Christmas for my soul.
More importantly, it is reassuring!
MeloDy, how-to-save-a-life, ToInfinityMyLove, thewatchtower300341 - Thank you!
A/N 2. I guess, some of you might got tired of the time jumping in the story... it might be confusing. But believe me it is all planned.
A/N 3. Editing this chapter, I felt that I had to put a warning here and remind you that this is all fiction.
Chapter 10 Hot Blooded
We live in a swirl of facts, events and emotions...
One always feels emotions most and chooses them as a realm to drawn in. The other sticks to facts as they are the reliable ones and cannot betray. But events define the one's true character. They show who you are, what you are like. They don't allow 'what if' and 'if I were'. They push you to seeing the fact and they demand you to feel.
THE ROAD SO FAR
...they had taken a lot, but it was only their first 20 miles from a hundred; the story of each hunter spiraled fast, like a colored ribbon of facts, events and emotions.
Dean's and Jo's ribbons were on the way to become one. A stronger one. They shared facts, events and emotions.
They were winding their way from the state of Wyoming. Brothers wanted to visit Sioux Falls. Jo didn't mind at all. The further from Holstein the better. She wasn't naïve about the question of distance. She knew perfectly well that distance wouldn't save them from the Safety Net. It had connections everywhere. But distance could give them time to recuperate and prepare.
They were at something like a 'roadhouse'/shop/gas station. It was perfect to freshen up, fill up the tank and grab something not so junky to eat. Jo was currently enjoying strong black and, what was more important, hot coffee. She didn't listen to what the brothers were talking silently following them just two strides.
Her mind was busy with Dean and emotions that she experienced being close to him. He didn't mention splitting up as the initial plan supposed.
She needed to know for a fact where they stood.
He said that she was a family.
They didn't plan on sticking together at least that was the deal before the ceremony. But saying the vows, pronouncing these simple but genuine eternal verities invoked to her soul. Then and there she promised herself that no matter what she would protect the hunter. It was all like he had said, they were partners. She would just have to find out the definition of this partner thing.
She was brought out of her thinking by the casual line - "Do you need anything else Jo?" Dean was looking at her with some hint of amusement. Sam was nowhere around.
"No, I'm good." She could feel a blush started creeping out. Take a grip girl. You shared the bed with this man like it was not a big deal.
"Are you sure?" He faked worry. "You look a little... " He paused like he was looking for a word - "flushed and - "
"Oh, come on!" She huffed.
"Admit it, you were in a dreamland." Dean said merrily.
He was so cocky. It was bordering on annoying. It was bordering on pleasant bickering. It was bordering on fun!
"But now I am back and we can go." Then, as if, after a thought she added almost seductively - "For your information, I think you would love this particular dream of mine!"
Just like that she simply walked around him and went on. Like it was the most natural thing. She made a couple of steps, then turned and winked.
Who was he kidding, he was hooked.
You don't have to read my mind, to know what I have in mind
Honey you oughta know
Now you move so fine, let me lay it on the line
I wanna know what you're doin' after the show
They were half way to the cashier's desk when they caught up with Sam. He looked at his brother. Dean was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Jo was spotting the same grin.
"Did I miss something?"
"Yes!"
"No!"
No one dwelled.
Sam looked them around. He caught the heated look exchanged between the couple and nothing else.
"Can you grab some more coffee, Jo?" Asked Sam.
"Sure. I'll take some for all of us. It's really good." She said already turning and going to the back of the building where vending machine with coffee was located.
"See you at the cashier's desk" Dean called out after her. "Don't get lost in a la-la land."
"Only with you!" She shouted back already hidden by the shopping shelves.
The air was pierced with the sound of tires screeching on the road and broken glass. Screams. Only lying on the cold dirty floor, covered by some products from the near shelves Jo realized that these were real machine gun rounds flying over her head.
Panic. What was happening?
It was an attack? But what for… they were in the middle of God forgotten place, there was nothing... valuable...
Then everything stilled.
At first she could distinctly hear the scrap of glass under the boots. Then the voices followed. She reached for her gun, cursing mentally for not having the extra charges.
"Ready or not? I'm gonna find you all. The voice was screeching like, intoxicated by the power, sucking and hollow. This voice belonged to a sick person. "Percy, Peter join the party." Jo cringed. Trying to move soundlessly she rose to sneak a look behind the shelves to locate the attackers. The one doing all the talk was nearer to her. He was waving his machine gun in different directions with no particular aim.
To the left were two men with gun machines who really resembled pigs. She looked for Dean and Sam but the floor to the cashier's desk was covered with lifeless bodies of unknown men.
She thought she could see the blood traces but the words of the crazy one chilled the blood in her body "Check the place for girls. Clean the rest of worthless stuff."
She must act and fast Was there any other choice?
Three clean shots. That was what she needed. All those endless practice hours were for this and not for the bar hustle. She cleared her mind, closed her eyes and visualized the targets. Her gun was a continuation of her mind and hand.
The air was pierced by three shots.
She had to make control shots. There couldn't be any surprises. She stepped anxiously towards the bodies. Smoke was leaving through the blooded forehead holes. Jo pushed away the machine guns from their deadly grasps.
The leader was missing. F*ck! She ducked under the nearest structure and checked the perimeter.
She knew she had got him...
Was he really something else than human?
She needed to find Dean, Sam.
He must be ok.
He was standing behind Sam.
She would disclose his location for the "sick wolf" but she would have to go through with that risk. She started dialing his number, then Sam's.
Nothing. Silence.
Following the blood trace wasn't the brightest thing but it would have to do.
She felt it. As soon as she left her temporary hiding spot she could feel the hateful eyes watching her.
If Dean had been all right he would have found me, thought Jo. That's why she knew she was the one to drag them all out of this shit. She moved quickly but cautiously along the blood marks. They were ending at the service room. There was blood on the handle. She turned it. It seemed locked.
Slammed to the wall Jo nearly lost her consciousness. Her vision quickly became darken; the air couldn't reach her lungs, a ton of a man crushing her to the floor.
He would not lose her. It could not happen. She would be all right. She had to or... well, he would never live with her death.
She saved them. She saved them all.
He caught her lifeless face in the rear-view mirror. He floored the gas pedal.
Sam was conscious but not much of a help. He had barely enough strength to keep on pressing some cloth to his bullet wounds. Red mess was everywhere.
Dean felt dizzy and ready to pass out himself. He was running on the adrenaline which was fading fast.
Both Sam and he were like some famous cheese. Only their holes were oozing blood.
And Jo...in the bright sunny light ... she was white, and red, and grey, and small. And he was not in time to prevent it.
At last they reached what had looked like hospital. Medical workers were already there, waiting for them. Thank God! Some people still did their job!
He tried to push them away saying that he was fine. That he was not the one who they had to take care.
The adrenaline must have gone out because he was finding it hard to fight the medical staff. He saw Jo being carried in, then Sam...He couldn't follow them... He was losing the sight of them...
It was like an hour ago, they were at that gas shop ...ready to get out but...it all went to hell.
The real life smashed them and made them bleed. They were just humans...
Lying on the hospital bed, Dean didn't feel pain, he was there...
The machine gun rounds got Sam bad. He was right in front of Dean and shielded him literary. But pieces of glass caught Dean.
He was able to drag Sam to the staff room. He would have gone after her as soon as he fixed Sam.
But time worked against him. He hoped that Jo would find some cover to sit out.
But it was a lost hope.
He heard five clear gunshots.
Jo.
And then everything went oh so fast.
The door handle started turning but the door itself never opened.
He could hear the noise of a fight. He tried to move faster but it was like his body was betraying him.
He pushed the door opened.
What he saw made his blood grew cold and ignite with fire simultaneously. Who knew if that was possible!?
That bastard was on top of her, chocking her.
Red. He fired the whole charger.
He would not lose her. It could not happen. She would be all right. She had to or... well, their simply were not other options.
The lyrics belongs to Foreigner, "Hot Blooded"