Thank you so much Leann Nickerson, BloodforInk, Angels-heart1 and Blondie 20000 for your feedback and encouragement. Okay I have to give people a little heads up...I won't be following the show too much going forward as far as who will be brought into the story (sorry to disappoint people) but I hope people like this next part. Some Ellen and Dean bonding coming up *grin*.

Author's Note at the bottom.

Chapter 20

The others listened as Dean and Sam told them about the hunt and how Travis basically used them to finish his vendetta against Jack and his father. Even Dean could see that Jack was fighting hard not to finish his metamorphosis but Travis forced it when he pushed Jack to feed on him.

"Never did like that bastard," Rufus hissed.

"He was actually always nice to me…always had a little toy for me when he showed up at The Roadhouse." Jo murmured sadly.

Bobby smiled at Jo as he reached out and placed his hand over hers and said, "Oh sweetheart you do know going to The Roadhouse and seeing you was like medicine for a lot of hunters. Most had lost a child and you became a surrogate daughter to a lot of hunters…Travis being one of them. His son and daughter were both killed by a vampire, it's how he got into the business."

Jo blushed at Bobby's words as she remembered how so many of the hunters she knew growing up would bring her little toys, stuff animals or candy. How they encourage her up on their laps as they regaled her with stories much to her mother's dismay.

She looked over at her husband and Sam and saw the same look in both of their eyes. The longing of two little boys that never got that attention that all children should enjoy. Instead most of the hunters they knew growing up help John train and groom them to be hunters themselves. Bobby, Caleb and Pastor Jim were probably the only ones who actually tried to give them some normalcy when they were children.

"Have you heard from Garth?" Dean asked as he changed the topic that was obviously a pain point for both brothers.

"Yeah he has eyes on her and she's in a town in Kansas…Haysville. Mean anything to you Sam?" Bobby asked.

Sam frowned as he shook his head, "No. Sorry."

"Let's put a pin in that. Look I've started going through Bobby's books and there's only one way to raise Lucifer. The demons are breaking the seals that are holding him in Hell and there are 66 seals that need to be broken." Jo told them.

"66," Sammy repeated.

Ellen came and sat next to Jo, giving her daughter the moral support she would need as she explained what her research had found.

"I've been reading everything I can find and in all the text they all state the same thing."

"What?" Dean asked anxiously.

Jo chewed on her lower lip, "you have to prevent a seal from being broken to stop Lucifer from rising."

Dean laughed as he slapped his brother on the back. "That's it Sweetheart, that's all we have to do is stop one of the seals from being broken. We can do that…just have to figure out what they are and…"

"No Dean," Jo said. "It's not just any seal, there are 600 various seals that can be broken but of the 600 there are only three; The Unholy Trinity that if one of the Trinity is prevented from being broken it will stop Lucifer and the apocalypse."

Sam sank down onto the sofa next to his brother. "You mean we only have three shots at stopping this?"

Jo shook her head as she watched the light leave Dean's eyes before telling the brothers, "no Sam, the first was already broken."

"What…when…the witnesses were just sent forward…" Dean said shocked that they had missed something so big.

"Yeah turns out that's one of the seals too, the witnesses being raised." Bobby told the brothers.

"Was that the first seal?" Dean asked.

Jo shook her head, hating what she found out. Knowing what it was going to cost the man she loved. "The first seal was broken before the witnesses. It was broken…it was broken in Hell." She told him as she looked up into her husband's eyes…seeing the everything falling into place but she knew she had to continue. "The first seal was the shedding of blood by a righteous man in Hell."

Dean hung his head in shame as he turned and walked out of the room. Jo went to get up but was surprised when her mother said to let her go. Ellen found Dean sitting on the front steps with his head in his hands.

"You were right to not want me in your daughter's life." He said miserable.

Ellen narrowed her eyes at the elder Winchester. "I'm only going to say this once so you better listen up."

Dean down at his hands, "You don't have to say it. I know Jo and the baby would be better off without me and…"

"And shut up," Ellen ordered as she walked down the stairs and stood before Dean. "Do you think I'm a liar?"

Dean's head shot, "no Ma'am."

"Less than one week ago I told you I couldn't be prouder to have you as my son…my son Dean…not son in law…son and I meant it. Now I'm not saying you and your brother haven't been dealt a shitty hand Dean and those bastard set you and Sam up so that you ended up on the rack but we can't change the events that led up to it or what happened while you were in Hell but there is one thing you do have control of…working with your family to stop Lucifer and be the best damn Daddy to my grandchild. So I'll give you five minutes to wallow in self pity and then I expect you to get off your ass and come inside and listen to the rest of information your wife has been spending every spare minutes researching to stop Lucifer."

Dean closed his eyes as he swallowed the lump in his throat. He listened as Ellen climbed the stairs and stood by his side. His eyes flew open when he felt Ellen leaned over and kissed the top of his head and whispered in his ear, "Jo's not the only Harvelle woman who loves you…you damn fool."

Dean heard Ellen step back into the cabin and reached up to wipe away his tears. He took a few minutes to collect himself before he nodded his head head and stood up.

He made his way back into the cabin and gave Jo a reassuring smile. "Where's your Mom?"

"Getting a beer," Jo told him.

"Give me a minute and then I want to hear what else you found," he said as he gave her a quick kiss on her temple before heading into the kitchen.

Ellen was popping open a beer bottle and held it out towards Dean.

"I just wanted to say thank you for that kick in the ass," Dean said as he clank long necks with Ellen.

"Yeah well don't make it a habit… I ain't a damn cheerleader you know." She huffed.

Dean smirked, "trust me…nobody is confusing you with Buffy."

Ellen cocked her eyebrow at Dean as she gave him her best 'don't make me kick your ass' glare. She was taking off guard when Dean leaned over and kissed her cheek.

She couldn't help smiling when he whispered in her ear, "Jo's not the only Harvelle woman that I love either…Mom."

Ellen watched Dean head back into the living room and let out a shaky breath. "Damn Winchester's charm," she murmured to herself as reached up and wiped away her tears.

SPNSPNSPN

"Okay so we have two chances to stop Lucifer," Dean said as Ellen joined them.

Jo sighed as she looked at her husband. "Actually we only have one because in all the text none reveal what the third seal is that must be broken is."

"Of course they don't," Dean huffed.

"It's not as bad as it sounds Dean," Sam said to his brother.

Jo nodded her head enthusiastically. "Not only do we know what the other seal is but there's a lot of lore for us to use to stop it." She explained.

"And this seal is?" Dean asked.

Jo looked at her husband, "the other seal is the rising of Samhain. If we prevent that from being broken we'll be able to stop everything."

Bobby watched Dean's faces and stood up. "I know this sounds bad but we know more about this than you think."

"Right," Jo said as she reached out she took Dean's hand in hers. "I've been researching Samhain and there is only one night he can be raised, October 31st. He can only be summoned by two powerful witches through three blood sacrifices over three days, the last being on Halloween. We have time. I'm going to set up an algorithm to monitor for spikes in activities that witches would use to build their strength."

"Your misses is thinking to start out in Haysville and set it at a 300 hundred miles surrounding radius." Rufus added.

"Yeah, Ruby's there for a reason." Sam agreed.

"Exactly, I'm guessing she went to see her boss and I bet her boss isn't going to be too far away from one of the two seals that must be broken." Jo agreed.

Bobby was watching the way the younger Winchester was bouncing his knee and he did a quick calculation on how long it had been since he last drank that bitch Ruby's blood. "I think we should call it a night if Sam's ready to go," Bobby said.

"Yeah, maybe we should." Sam said. He was finding it harder to concentrate. He knew they had time but it's been a little over three weeks since Dean was pull from the pit and they had a little over three weeks to figure out the location and plan to prevent Samhain's rising and he needed to be at full strength to help his brother and the others to win this fight.

Dean nodded his head, "Okay, I just need to…"

"You need to be with your wife," Sam told his brother.

"Sammy…" Dean started arguing. Jo and he had talked last night while Sam was out getting food and she had told him that she supported him staying with Sam while he was detoxing.

"No Dean. Bobby, Rufus and Ellen will be there. You need spend time with Jo." Sam told him.

Jo shook her head, "No Sam, you need Dean…"

"No Jo, I may need Dean but so do you. You and Dean need to spend this time together. It's been nonstop since he was pulled out of Hell. Stealing time when you two can isn't right. So this is my wedding gift to you both…time. Enjoy spending time together." Sam said as he stood up.

"That goes for us too," Bobby said. "Part of Sam detoxing will be hard labor so I don't want to see your face at the house for the next three days."

Dean stared at Bobby, Ellen and Rufus the latter two were nodding their heads in agreement. He looked over at Sam. "Are you sure Sammy?"

"I'm sure. It's not like I haven't been detoxing already since it's been almost five days since I've drank Ruby's blood." He reassured his brother.

"Okay, if you're sure." Dean said as he wrapped his arm around Jo's shoulder as the other got up to head out.

"Mom, thank you again for staying with me and for helping me pick out the cabinets and countertops."

"My pleasure," Ellen said as she gave Jo a hug. "Now I don't want to hear from you either unless you need me."

"Yes Mom," Jo said, rolling her eyes in amusement.

Dean and Jo walked everyone out and watched as they all climbed into their cars and drove off towards Bobby's. Jo squeezed Dean's hand, "our family will take care of him Dean."

"Yeah, I know." He said as he kissed her temple and he smiled at her declaration 'our family' because they were a family. Maybe not in the most conventional way but he would lay down his life for each and every one of them and knew they would do the same for him…for Sam.

Jo turned and looked up at her husband, "so three days to ourselves. Whatever will we do?" She asked innocently.

Dean grinned down at his wife, "I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're getting naked and not putting a stitch on for three glorious days."

Jo giggled as Dean playfully dragged her back into the cabin to begin their three day naked honeymoon.

TBC

Author's Note: Okay so I wasn't kidding when I said I wasn't following the show going forward. So we're not going to be seeing the angels too much and there will definitely be no Anna. Dean said Jo put together a Hell of a file so I could see her hitting the ground on the research of how Lucifer would be raised and the 66 seals. Plus since Ash lived at the Roadhouse I would think she learned some serious computer skills.

I never liked that idea on the show that there wasn't a least a one or two other seal between the seal Dean broke and the last seal being the only two that were set in stone had had to be broken and then just 64 random seals out of 600 too. Samhain seemed much more important than some random seal like the 15 fishermen being blinded or 10 species going extent on Key West. So I went with three seals...The Unholy Trinity that have to be broken to raise Lucifer.

So I hope people like my little spin on how Team Free Will can actually stop Lucifer.

Thanks

Val