Thank you so much Leann Nickerson, SarahWeasleyWinchester and Blondie 20000 for all the support and feedback! Well Jo just turned 16 here and Dean isn't 20 yet but he has graduated from high school and begun hunting. Some family bonding.
Chapter 31
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday dear Jo.
Happy birthday to you.
Jo's family sang loudly. She laughed as she leaned forward and blew out the sixteen candles while everyone clapped.
"Jo why don't you open your presents. Caleb and I can serve the cake." Bonnie told the younger woman before looking at her son and niece. "So do you two want cake?"
"Yay!" Colleen and C.J. shouted and clapped eagerly.
"Thanks Bonnie," Gemma said as the others went back into the living room where the gifts were waiting for Jo to open.
Dean smiled as he watched his grinning girlfriend sit down in front of her pile of loot. He couldn't believe that less than 24 hours ago he was panicking he wasn't going to make back from the hunt he had been working in time for Jo's birthday.
Some much had changed in the two short years him and Jo officially became a couple. Oh his parents and Bobby set up some serious rules for them starting with Tom and moving down the line but gradually they had loosen the reigns when they realized how serious him and Jo where about each other.
Dean knew he was making the most 'sacrifices' when him and Jo officially began dating on her fourteenth birthday after they both finished their grounding for their little hunt and Dr. Tom asked them to give it another month on top of that after he said Jo had a real breakthrough and felt she should focus on her therapy during that time.
"Here Jo, open mine and Colleen's present first," Sam said as he passed her the gift.
"Thanks Sammy," Jo said as she ripped open the present. She grinned when she pulled out the three books, "ohhh Harry Potter! Cool, I've been wanting to read them." She exclaimed as she opened the first book and skimmed it.
"Hey kiddo, the next one is from Bonnie, CJ and I." Caleb said as he came back into the room carrying a tray with several plates with cake on them.
"Thank you," Jo said as she pulled the tissue paper out of the bag before pulling out the package inside, "a Blackberry! Oh wow, thank you Caleb, Bonnie this is awesome!"
"Us next Sweetheart," John said with a grin as he handed Jo the gift him and Gemma got for her.
"Okay," Jo said as she gave the elder Winchester a grin before tearing the wrapping paper off their present. "A digital camera! I love it, thank you!" She gushed to a clearly please John.
"John picked it out," Gemma told her with a laugh at how proud her husband was at picking out the gift he knew the young woman would love.
"Thank you," Jo said as she leaned forward and kissed John on the cheek.
"Here you go Jo," Bobby said as he handed Jo a large box.
"Wow this is kinda heavy," she said as Sam and Dean cleared the table for her to put it down to unwrap her present.
Jo quickly tore the paper off the box and gasped. "Uncle Bobby," Jo murmured as she finished tearing the paper off to reveal the Apple iBook box. She ran her hand over the box before looking up at her uncle. "Uncle Bobby, you shouldn't have…it's too much."
Bobby smiled at his niece, "not every day my girl turns 16. Happy birthday Jo."
Jo leaned over and hugged her uncle. "Thank you, thank you for loving me and being there for me. I love you Uncle Bobby." She cried.
"Friggin ragweed," the old hunter said as he kissed Jo on the top of her head before reaching up and rubbing his eyes much to John, Caleb and Dean chagrin.
"Alright, chick flick moment over," teased Dean as he handed Jo his gift. "Here you go Baby."
Gemma smiled as she watched Jo open Dean's gift. She had been surprised when Dean had come to her to get her opinion on what he should get. She frown slightly at the oversized box but figured Dean probable just grabbed the first one he found to wrap his gift.
Jo grinned as she tore into the gift her boyfriend gave her. She pulled off the box cover and pulled away the tissue paper and gazed at the content in the box. "Oh Dean, I love it!" She gushed as she pulled out a Colt revolver with a mother of pearl grip. "She's beautiful," Jo said as she lifted the gun into her hands expertly and held it up to look down the barrel to check the sightline.
"Damn son, that is a beauty." John said appreciatively.
"A gun," Gemma cried. "I told you pearl earrings."
"Well it has a mother of pearl grip," Dean argued.
Gemma shook her head and sighed. "Ugh, I give up," she mumbled as the men gathered around Jo to each take a turn checking out the gun.
"Okay toddlers in the room, put it away." Bonnie told them.
"I'll lock it in Uncle Bobby's trunk," Jo offered as she got up.
"Here I'll help you carry your presents to the car." Dean said as he picked up several gifts while she grabbed the rest.
"A gun…our son just bought his girlfriend a gun for her birthday," Gemma said as the young couple headed outside.
"Gemma I don't know why it surprises you," John said with a laugh. "He gave her a machete for Christmas."
"And ninja shuriken for Valentine's Day," snicker Caleb.
"Don't forget the Bowe knifes and wet stone he got her for their anniversary." Bonnie added.
"And he's been teaching her Krav Maga," Bobby chimed in.
"Seriously…starting to wonder about that son of ours. Is he Jo's boyfriend or her drill sergeant."
Sam looked up from where he was playing with Colleen and CJ. "Aww Mom…Jo doesn't mind. She's not really a girly girl. She hardly ever wears a dress anymore…says there not practical. Plus Dean wants to make sure she's prepared for when she starts hunting…he wants to keep her safe"
Bobby nodded his head, "Sam's right, Jo wants to be a hunter and Dean wants to make sure she's prepared and trained properly…it's the only way he can truly keep her safe."
"Plus they've always been like that…even when we were kids and Dean taught Jo how to pitch. You would've thought Jo was going to pitch the seventh game in the World Series the way he would have her practice her curveball." John added.
"Yeah but that was the prettiest curveball I've seen since Bill Lee pitched for The Soxs." Bobby said proudly.
"Man do you reminder the tight spiral she would get when we played tag football with them too," Caleb added.
Gemma stared at the men in front of her and huffed, "well I would prefer if Dean treated Jo more…more…" she floundered for the right word.
"Gemma, Dean treats Jo just fine," Bobby reassured her. "I've seen the flowers he's brings her, the little trinkets he picks up when he's on a hunt. I saw that boy of yours drive through the night, only stopping to pick up container of Jo's favorite ice cream and hold her while she cried her eyes out when Rumsford died. There private moments between them though but don't you ever worry that he doesn't treat Jo like she isn't the most precious thing in his life because he does."
"I bet Dean's showing Jo how precious she is right now in Baby's backseat," snickered Sam as he realized the couple had been gone a lot longer than they should have been.
Bobby reached out and slapped Sam upside the head, "that's my niece you're talking about you idjet."
Sam blushed as he ducked his head, "sorry sir."
John and Caleb smirked as Bobby headed towards the front door. "You might want to pound on the hood…never know what you may see if you just open the door," Caleb teased earning a glare from his old friend.
"Idjets, I surrounded by idjets ," mumbled the older man as he stomped outside.
Gemma and Bonnie rolled their eyes at their husbands as they laughed at Bobby's retreating back. "John, remember karma is a bitch and someday you're going to have to a 16 years old daughter." Gemma reminded her husband sweetly.
John eyed his wife, "that's not funny."
"Mama…need potty," Colleen said as she stood up and looked at her mother.
"Saved by the bell or should I say potty," teased Gemma as she reached down and held her hand out for her daughter.
Caleb picked up his son and sat down. "See CJ, Colleen's is going to use the potty." Caleb said, him and Bonnie had been trying to get the 2 ½ year old to use the potty for a few months.
John snorted when the little boy looked up at his father and shook his head no vehemently. "Boys are harder Caleb. Well some boys are…Dean was trained by that age but Sammy on the other hand was over three before Dean finally got him to try going 'big boy' style."
"DAD!" Sam shouted as his face turned beet red in embarrassment as the adults chuckled while John ruffled the boy's hair.
The others looked up when Bobby came back into the room with a blushing Jo and a grinning Dean tagging behind. John shook his head, his oldest really didn't have any shame. When Dean went to pass he reached out and slapped him upside the head.
"Hey what did I do?" Dean cried as he rubbed his head.
"That's Bobby's niece…stop grinning like that. You know someday that may be Colleen in the backseat of a car. You going to think it's funny when her boyfriend comes strutting in liked a damn peacock." John told his son.
"Oh like Hell that's ever going to happen," Dean said as he quickly realized what his father was saying. He would kill any lowlife loser who so much as looked at his baby sister in anyway.
Jo stared at her boyfriend and his father in shock before leaning down towards Sammy and asking, "okay, what did we miss?"
"Dad and Caleb were have a grand old time tormenting Uncle Bobby about you two making out and Gemma reminded Dad that he would have a 16 year old daughter someday." The other teen explained.
"Poor Colleen," Jo murmured as she sat down and picked up her cake. She looked the across the room where Dean had joined Caleb in trying to encourage CJ to try using the potty and couldn't help smiling.
"Yeah, well it's kinda my fault." Sam told her as he got up off the floor and sat next to Jo and digging into his own piece of cake.
"You're fault?"
"Mom was upset…she was afraid Dean didn't treat you special enough because of all the weapons and things he gives you as gifts. I pointed out you two had been gone a while and that Dean was probably showing you how special you are in the back seat of Baby."
Jo's snorted in amusement. Gemma made no bones at her displeasure that Dean decided to go into the family business or that him, Uncle Bobby, John, Caleb and Rufus were training her to be a hunter too. Uncle Bobby and Rufus had even taken her on two hunts this past year.
"I hate how much it bothers Gemma that hunting is what Dean and I both want to do." She told Sam.
Sam looked around the room and saw that nobody was really paying attention to them and leaned towards Jo a little bit. "Can I tell you something…kinda like a secret?"
Jo's eyes lit up as she nodded her head, "you can."
"Gemma will have one less kid to worry about. I've decided hunting isn't for me." He told her softly.
Jo shot a look over to where Uncle Bobby and John where speaking in the corner before sliding a little closer to her friend. "Dean and I figured you weren't going in the family business."
Sam eyes widened at that declaration, "Dean and you talked about me?"
Jo popped the last bite of cake in her mouth before putting her plate down and reaching over to take Sam's free hand in hers. "Hey, I know we don't spend as much time together than before but you, Dean and me…we're always going to be connected...no matter which direction our lives take us."
Sam swallowed, blushing slightly as he confessed, "I miss Dean being home all the time and I miss seeing you in school every day… I just feel alone a lot."
"Never," Jo reassured him. She knew things had changed so much these past two years, especially for Sam. Jo had decided to take a page out of Dean's book and switch over to the technical school in her sophomore year and enrolled in the auto mechanical courses.
She had been handling so much of the scrapyard office but figured it wouldn't hurt to know her way around an engine, the tools and machines to help out when her uncle needed her. Her uncle had also started training her on driving the tow truck and wanted her to get her commercial driver's license when she turned 18 too if she really wanted to learn all of the business.
"Easy for you to say. When Dean isn't working a case he spends all his time working at the garage or with you." He told her embarrassed at the whine in his voice.
Jo sighed, she wanted to tell him that wasn't true but deep down she knew it was. "Sammy, I guess Dean and I have been a little selfish with our time when he's home."
Sam squeezed Jo's hand. "Not like I don't get it. I'm lucky, I see Camie every day. So I get you two wanting to be together when he's home."
Jo chewed on her lower lip as she let her gaze drift across the room to her boyfriend who was currently on his hands and knees with CJ on his back holding onto his tee shirt as Dean pretended to be a bucking horse to the child high pitch delight.
"Hey Sam, Dean doesn't have a case lined up yet. What do you say to you, Camie and us doing the whole double date thing Friday night. Maybe grab some pizza and then go bowling." She suggested.
"Really?" Sam said.
"Yeah, I haven't really seen Camie since she came over Christmas Eve."
Sam looked over at his brother, "do you think Dean will really want to do that?"
"Of course he will," Jo reassured him, wondering why they hadn't thought to do it before.
"Cool, I'm going to call Camie now." Sam said as he leaned over and gave Jo a hug before getting up and going into the kitchen to call his girlfriend.
Jo was so busy patting herself on the back that she didn't even notice the doorbell but suddenly she heard the voice of one of her favorite people calling out for the birthday girl.
Jo grinned as she hopped up and rushed over to the newcomer, "hey Rufus." She said as she hugged the older hunter.
"Hey JoJo!"
"What the Hell took you so long?" Bobby grumble to his old friend.
"Little ears," Gemma reminded the men.
"Sorry Gem," Rufus said, turning and giving her a flirty grin that made Gemma laugh as she mumbled that he was shameless before accepting a kiss on the cheek.
"So I see the cake has been cut…presents are done too. Guess it's too late for me to give you my gift." He teased.
"No it's not," Jo argued as she looked around for the gift.
Rufus laughed as he said, "well then come on girl…it's outside waiting for you."
"Outside?" She repeated questioningly as she headed for the front door while everyone else followed behind. She opened the door and gasped. "Rufus," she cried as she saw the black and white pit bull puppy asleep in a basket..
Bobby smiled when Jo turned towards him, "Uncle Bobby?" She asked hopefully.
"I told him it was alright. Besides the yard feels empty since Rumsford passed." Bobby told her, cupping her cheek when he saw the tears shining in her eyes. "Hey, no tears."
Jo nodded as she turned towards Rufus and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much!" She cried.
"You're welcome JoJo," her as he patted her shoulder.
Jo and the others turned when they heard Colleen and CJ called out, "puppy!" As they plopped down by the basket where the dog was napping.
John and Caleb exchanged a look before going over to their children. "You two like the puppy?" Caleb asked the toddlers.
"Yes Daddy," CJ said as Caleb lifted him into his arms.
"What about you Miss Colleen?"
"Ute Dada," the little girl said as she looked up with a wide smile.
"Cute…yup he is pretty cute." John told her as he looked up at his grinning wife who nodded her head as Bonnie also nodded her head towards her husband.
"So…" John said as he picked his daughter up and went to stand by Sammy, wrapping his free arm around his son. "I don't suppose you kids would like a puppy too?"
Sam's eyes widened as his jaw dropped open. "Really? Are you teasing us Dad?"
John smirked down at his son as Rufus went over to his car and opened the back door, reaching in and pulling out two more puppies to the other three children delight.
The four parents watched as Sammy helped his sister and CJ down the stairs and rush over to Rufus's car. Dean went to stand by his father. "Dude, I can't believe you agreed to this." He said as he slapped his father on his shoulder.
"Your Mom can be very persuasive," John told his oldest before turning and leveling him with a harden glare. "And you call me Dude one more time I will giving you a stinging reminder that I'm your father and not one of your buddies."
Dean blushed as he nodded his head, "yes Sir."
John smiled as he placed his hand on his son's shoulder, "that's what I thought you would say."
Laughing Dean rolled his eyes at his father as he turned and gave him a one arm half hug. "If you're done giving me a hard time I'm going to spend some time with my girl."
"Go" John told him with a chuckle. He looked down when he felt Gemma wrap her arm around his waist.
"Look at Sam and Colleen faces, aren't you glad you agreed to this." She said as draped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.
"What choice did I have. You threaten to shut me off indefinitely," he teased.
Gemma laughed as she nudged John with her shoulder, "please all I had to say was 'imagine Colleen's face' and since that girl has you completely wrapped around her little finger you said yes."
John groaned, "I swear Jo's giving her lessons on how to look extra cute, especially when she climbs up onto my lap to take a nap."
"You're awful," Gemma said as she slapped her husband on his chest before looking over towards Dean and Jo. "You didn't tell Dean about that job you were researching did you?" She asked.
"No, I figured me and Bobby could handle it." He told her.
"So Dean will be home for a while?"
John sighed, "Gemma, he's a grown man."
"I know…I just miss him. He's had three hunts back to back to back."
"Well if it makes you feel better he said he was taking some time off…think he misses Jo."
"Oh good something else to worry about," she mumbled to a distracted John.
"What?"
"Nothing," she said as looked over at the couple in question and saw Jo laughing at something Dean said to her as she lifted the puppy up and kissed it on the nose. She looked over and saw Bonnie watching Dean and Jo too before turning her attention towards Gemma and giving her a reassuring smile.
Jo had asked Gemma a few weeks ago if she would make an appointment with Gemma's gynecologist. Gemma had been shocked and was even more shocked when Jo said she already had Bobby's permission to not only see the doctor but to discuss birth control.
She had been a little skeptical at first but when she had called Bobby all he said was that it was time Jo saw a female doctor before saying he had to go that he had an incoming call on his FBI line.
Gemma didn't even want to imagine that conversation between the teen and her uncle. So Bonnie and Gemma had taken Jo for her appointment and then out for lunch offering to answer any questions Jo may have.
She wasn't a fool, she knew Jo and Dean had a physical relationship (and the fact Bobby said it was time Jo started to see a 'female doctor' that he was probably aware too) but she was pretty sure they hadn't had sex yet but it was bound to happen sooner rather than later, especially now that she was on birth control pills.
"Earth to Gemma," John teased.
"What," she said as she looked up at her husband.
"I said Bobby and I will be heading out day after tomorrow. I need to go over with Dean what I need him to do at the shop while I'm gone," he repeated.
"Right…will Jo be staying here?" She asked.
"Nah, her and Bobby finished rebuilding that 60' Ford Fairlane that he hauled in last year and she can get around on her own."
Gemma lookup at John, "he's leaving her alone?"
"She 16, she'll be fine." John reassured her.
"Right," Gemma said as she watched the way Dean stroked Jo's cheek before leaning forward and giving her a quick peck on the lips. "Right," she repeated knowing that Jo really wouldn't be alone no matter what her husband was saying.
TBC