Chapter 11- Stranded
Jo tried to relax, sitting shotgun in the Impala and sipping on a bottle of water. Her stomach still rolled because of the poisoned drink, and her chest still felt tight, but she was sure she would be fine after a little sleep. But sleep would have to wait since she was now stranded on the side of the road with a man under the hood of the car, making enough noise (and shouting plenty of curses) to wake the dead.
She closed her eyes and put the seat back so that she was almost lying down. The past day had been long for her and not just because she had almost died twice. She had never expected to see the boys here, let alone be planning a hunt with them. Still, in the shadows of her mind she had always been hoping they would cross her path.
Meg had been right back in Minnesota. She did carry a torch for Dean, but she could never understand why and hated herself for it. Sure he was gorgeous, but he always treated her like she needed a babysitter and not to mention that ninety percent of the time he drove her crazy. Besides that, he had never even given her as much as a hint that he may like her back. She was just a school girl to him. How could she have feelings for him if there were just so many things about him that she hated?
Yet, it simply seemed to be the vary things that she decidedly hated about him that attracted her to him more. His shining knight routine. His sarcasm. How he always acted to keep her safe. The way he gets defensive every time she makes a poke at him…
The hood was slammed shut, but the same could not be said about the door to Jo's current thoughts. She'd already tried to tell herself that it would never work between them, that there was too much in the way. Too many ifs. The truth was that he did not call her back when he said he would. And still, watching him climbing into the seat next to her produced a completely different feeling in the pit of her stomach.
'Stop being such a girl, Jo,' she thought, mentally slapping herself and sitting up straight in her passenger's seat, 'You're gonna put an end to this right now.'
"Well, I think I got it fixed,' Dean said taking a 'Wet One' out of the glove compartment to clean his hands with, 'As soon as Sammy gets back we should be able to get moving," he looked over at Jo, "How're you feeling?"
"Not too bad," she replied.
"So who the hell did you piss off?" Dean snickered.
"Nobody, I don't think," Jo answered. Being a hunter, she had kept to herself most of the time, not meeting too many people.
"Well, it was somebody."
They sat in silence for a few moments, the air between them left open for some one to take the next leap. Jo sat examining her fingers while Dean blew spit bubbles and tapped on the stirring wheel.
"Dean…"
"Yeah?"
"Never mind," Jo heaved a sigh and looked out her window into the darkness.
"Okay then," Dean said looking around the car for something to interest him, eyes resting on the dashboard, "maybe there's something on the radio."
Dean turned the dial on the radio with a quite flick of his wrist. A Bon Jovi song was playing and Dean began to drum out the beat on the wheel and sing along. If nothing else, Jo had to grin at how it made him look like he was a teenager again, sitting in his very first car.
"So you never did call me back," the words had come out of her mouth before she could stop them.
"Huh?" Dean looked over at her, clearly confused as to what she was talking about.
"Nothing."
"No, c'mon. What were you gonna say?"
"Nothing. Just, back in Minnesota you said you'd call me back after you found Sam, but you never did."
"Oh, yeah uh…sorry. Guess I forgot," she could see that she had made him uncomfortable.
"It doesn't m…" "Jo, I don't think…"
They both went silent and looked at each other for a moment.
"Awkward,' Dean announced to no one and turned up the radio. The song changed to play 'Can't Fight this Feeling' by REO speedwagon. Immediately, both of their hands flew forward to turn the song off, and they met at the button, Dean's hand overlapping Jo's. They once again found each other's gaze.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Both jumped as the tapping came on the driver's side window. Sam had returned from the gas station, a broad smile on his face as Dean unrolled the window.
"Am I interrupting something?" he laughed.
"What? No, shut up, dude," Dean spluttered, "Man, tell me you got the oil."
"Right here," Sam held up a paper bag in his right hand.
"Perfect, then lets fill her up and get out of here."