Thank you so much Blondie 20000, BloodforInk, DeanJo pairing, L, Hayley and Guests for all your feedback! Ok we're at the 'Crossroad' of the story. I hope people like it and author's note at the bottom.

Warning: There is an offensive word used in this part but honestly demons and angels were all pretty much bigoted a$$holes on the show and would say something like this (especially early seasons when the show was still pretty gritty).

Thank you again!

Val

Chapter 4

Missouri held Jo as she sobbed over the news that The Roadhouse was gone and Bobby's confirmation that they had found Ash's body.

Her world was spinning out of control. Bobby explained that they were on their way to Cold Oak to rescue Sam, but Bobby had told her he had called in Rufus to find her mother. The older hunter told her that she had to believe Ellen was alive.

"Joanna, you need to believe me that I feel that your mother is safe." The older woman said as she rubbed the upset woman's back.

"Ash…Oh God Ash!" She wailed, her breaths coming out in short gasps.

"Jo, you need to calm down…you need to calm down for Anthony's sake." Missouri commanded firmly.

Jo nodded her head as she tried to get her breathing under control. She jumped slightly when she heard her cell phone and realized it was her mother's ringtone.

"MOM!" She cried into the phone.

"Baby are you alright? Where are you?"

"I'm fine," Jo said. "Oh Mama…Ash…"

"I know Baby…I know."

Jo took a deep breath. "Mom I'm at Bobby's. Dean and Bobby are following a lead to try and find Sam. Mom I need you. Please come."

"I'm heading your way but I need to do somethings first and then I'll make my way to you."

Jo sniffled as she murmured, "okay. I love you Mama."

She heard her mother crying as she said. "Oh Baby, I love you too. I'll be there as soon as possible."

"I better call Bobby, he called in Rufus to look for you. They can call him off…"

"No, we're going to need all hands on deck. Tell Bobby to call Rufus and send him your way."

Jo didn't like the sound of what her mother was implying but quickly promised to call and tell Bobby before telling her Mom that she loved her again and to be careful.

Sighing she looked up at Missouri who had gone and made her a cup of tea while she spoke to her mother.

The older woman handed her the mug, "I already called Bobby in the kitchen. He's calling your friend Rufus to tell him to come here."

Jo looked down at the mug in her hands. "You knew didn't you…that my mother was alright, but Ash was gone?"

Missouri sat down next to Jo. "I'm sorry Honey. I could feel that someone you were close to was gone; I didn't know who…just that it wasn't your Mom."

Jo took a deep breath as she eyed the other woman. "You know what's going to happen in Cold Oak don't you?"

Missouri sat down next to Jo. "Not me…Sam. He told me that he had a vision."

Jo swallowed the lump in her throat, "can you tell me?"

Missouri reached over and squeezed Jo's hand. "I'm sorry Sweetie. I can't tell you, Sam made me swear not to tell you, Bobby, or Dean in fear one of you would try and change what is meant to be."

Jo looked down at the phone in her hand. "I need to call Dean."

"No…you need to let him do what he has to do. His journey is just beginning."

Jo gaped at the older woman. "Oh God….it's Sam isn't it." She cried. "Don't you understand…Dean needs to know…he'll figure something out."

"No! Sam saw it all and he knew there's only one way this can end." She told her firmly before adding. "He needs you to be strong. He's counting on you to stop Dean from starting it."

Jo let Missouri's words wash over her before asking the question she dreaded the most, "it?"

Missouri nodded her head, she hated frightening Jo, but she needed her to understand what they really were up against. "Sam told me…Dean's the catalyst…he's the first step in starting the rising of Lucifer and the apocalypse that will destroy our world."

SPNSPNSPN

Jo looked over at Bobby. They had been back almost a full day and Dean was still out in Bobby's barn with Sam's body.

"He refuses to eat…he won't talk about burying Sam…he's just sitting there with the body drinking." He told Jo.

Jo wiped her eyes she couldn't seem to stop crying. "Let me try," she said as she stood up, wincing slightly.

"Jo," he said as he saw the way the pregnant woman was holding her lower back.

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"Maybe you should lay down." Bobby said.

"I need to go to him," Jo insisted.

Bobby sighed as he nodded his head. "I'll walk you out…I don't want you to trip over anything out back."

SPNSPNSPN

Dean looked up when Jo came into the barn. "She shouldn't be out here," he snapped at Bobby as he stood up and forced Jo to sit down.

Jo swallowed as she looked over at Sam's body. "I insisted," she told him.

"I'll give you two some privacy…do I need to come back to walk her back to the house or will you walk her?" The older hunter asked.

"I don't need an escort," Jo argued.

Dean looked down at the pregnant woman and shook his head. "I'll bring her back."

Bobby nodded his head as he left the young couple to talk, praying Jo could reason with Dean.

"Jo you don't belong out here," he said as he knelt before her.

Jo couldn't hold back the sob as the last couple of days came crashing down on her. First Ash and now Sam. Her mother still hadn't made it to them yet and she felt so lost. "I'm sorry, I know you don't need my tears."

Dean swallowed his own sob as he pulled Jo into a fierce hug. "I can't do this Jo…I can't do this without Sam."

"Dean," Jo murmured as she held him as close as possible.

He pulled back and shook his head. "I can't…I'm sorry Jo," he said as he stood up. "Forgive me," he whispered as he turned and rushed out of the barn.

"Dean!" Jo cried as she got up and hurried out after him. She watched as he got into the Impala and sped away. Jo looked over at Bobby's Charger and began to make her way over to it.

She stopped as she felt a sharp pain in her lower back and had to take several deep breaths before she finished her trek to the car and maneuvered herself behind the steering wheel…offering up a silent thank you to Bobby and his habit of leaving his keys in the ignition as she followed Dean.

SPNSPNSPN

Dean stood back from the mound where he buried the box with everything needed to summon the demon.

"Come on and show yourself!" He shouted into the night.

"Lower your voice, you don't want to wake the neighbors." The demon said as she appeared before him.

"I should just send you back to Hell," he hissed.

"Awe but then you wouldn't be able to make a deal for your brother would you." She taunted.

Dean glared at the demon as he prepared to make the deal to bring Sam back. He opened his mouth to tell her to shut up and just make the deal but stopped when he heard the car speeding towards them.

They both watched as the car braked hard and skidded to a stop. Dean watched in horror as Jo slowly extracted herself from the car. "Dean!"

"Jo! You shouldn't have followed me!" He shouted as he watched her waddle towards him and the demon.

"You can't do this Dean. Sam would never want you to do this." She said as she stood before him.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me. Who is she and unless she's offering the brat's soul she needs to leave." The demon said as she glared at Jo.

Jo's hands instinctively dropped to her baby bump. Dean turned towards the demon and hissed, "you threaten the baby again and I will end you."

"Dean…please come with me and we can talk." Jo pleaded.

"Jo there is nothing to talk about this is what I have to do." He told her.

Jo shook her head as she realized that this is what Missouri warned her about and had explained that it had to be Dean's decision.

She went to try and reason with him again when she felt a stabbing pain in her lower back, and she reached out and grabbed Dean's arm.

"Jo," he said as he wrapped his arm around her to study her. They both looked down in shock when they heard the gush of fluid splashing on the ground.

"Aghhh!" Jo cried as she squeezed Dean's arm.

The demon smirked at Jo, "hmmm never had a woman go in labor before…this could be fun."

Dean swung his head and looked at the demon. "Let's just make this deal now. Bring Sam back and give me my ten years." He said as he looked at Jo who had tears in her eyes as she shook her head silently begging him not to do it. "Ten years and then you come for me."

The demon smirked, "you must be joking."

"That's the same deal you give everybody else," he argued.

"You're not everybody else," the demon said as she leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Why would I want to give you anything? Keep your gutter soul, it's too tarnished anyways."

Dean swallowed as he looked at Jo again. "Nine years."

"No."

"Eight."

The demon snorted, "you keep going and I'll keep saying no."

Dean was frantic, he needed to make this deal and get Jo to the hospital. "Okay, five years," he said as he looked at Jo…realizing he was only going to be in hers and Tony's lives for five short years. "Five years and my bill comes due. That's my last offer, five years, or no deal."

"Then no deal."

He couldn't believe it and he snapped, "fine."

The demon turned and began to walk away as Jo let out a sigh of relief. Her relief was short lived when the demon pushed the one button it knew would make Dean reconsider. "Fine, make sure you bury Sam before he starts stinking up the joint."

"Wait," Dean cried.

"It's a fire sale and everything must go."

Dean swallowed, "what do I have to do?"

The demon smirked at Jo as she turned back around towards Dean. "First of all quit groveling. Needy guys are such a turnoff. Look…look, I shouldn't be doing this. I could get into a lot of trouble but what can I say…I got a blind spot for you Dean…you're like a puppy….you're just too much fun to play with. I'll do it."

"You'll bring him back?" Dean asked.

"I will and because I'm such a saint I'll give you one year and one year only."

"What!" Jo cried. "Dean don't you see…there has to be a reason why she's offering this deal!"

"Shut up you stupid cow. Dean wants his baby brother back." The demon spat at Jo as she stormed up and got into her face. "What you think he actually cares about you and that mongrel bastard you're ready to spit out? You mean nothing to him…it's all about Sam, always has been and always will be." She said as she spun back towards Dean. "Come on Dean…tick, tock."

Dean stared at the two women in front of him and suddenly he remembered the conversation he had with Missouri when they brought Jo to stay with her and she had pulled him aside before him and Sam had left.

"Dean, I seen darkness coming your way, but I see light too," Missouri said to the young hunter.

Dean gave her an easy grin, "pretty much sums up our lives."

The older woman shook her head, "I'm being serious boy. You're traveling down a dangerous path and you are coming to a crossroad. You need to make the right choice...you need to choose life Dean."

"Only a fool would choose death," he said as he frowned at her.

"You'd be surprised. Dean be careful and let your heart see the light and happiness that is still waiting for you. You just have to accept faith and that there is a greater plan out there for you."

Dean had nodded his head and promised he would… thinking that Missouri was just being cryptic to drive him crazy but now he realized this is what she saw. He had thought when she said he was coming to a crossroad she meant metaphorically but it was literal, and he was choosing to end his life in one year if he accepted the deal.

"Dean please," Jo cried. Dear God in heaven the woman was in labor and should be at a hospital, but she was putting herself in danger to try and talk him out of making a deal for his very soul.

He looked over at the demon who grinned at him before turning back towards Jo. "Bobby can come with his tow truck to get his car." He told her as he wrapped his arm around her and turned her gently and began leading her towards the Impala.

"No, you can't." The demon shouted. "Fine…three years!"

Dean stopped short and looked over his shoulder at the demon and saw the desperation in her eyes. "No." He said simply as he ushered Jo towards his car.

"The full ten years," the demon cried out as he opened the passenger door. Helping Jo inside before turning back towards the demon. "Ten years and you can have your brother back and you get to watch the mongrel grow up too."

Dean cocked his head as he reach behind him and pulled out his gun. The demon smirked at the hunter. "That can't hurt me."

"That's what you think," Dean said as he aimed and shot the demon in the head. The demon laughed as she went to take a step towards Dean but looked up panicking when she wasn't able to move. "The bullet has a devil trap carved into the casing." He said as he quickly began to say the exorcism ritual he knew by heart in Latin while walking around to the driver side of the car. He didn't bother looking back when the demon screamed as her head fell backwards and black smoke came billowing out of the hosts body before swirling around and seeped into the ground, back to Hell.

TBC

A/N 1: Again, I apologize for using the term mongrel regarding Jo's and Gordon's baby but like I said demons are bigoted a$$holes and it fit the scene.

A/N 2: Okay I couldn't write Sam's death and kept it 'off camera' and I'm sorry but Sam really is dead. This story started out as a 'what if' Dean didn't make the deal? What if someone that Dean cared about followed him and tried to talk to him...give Dean a few seconds to stop and think about what the demon was offering. To think that there had to be a reason why the deal was being altered like it was...what was the demon up to. To stop and think what he was doing not only to himself but to the people he loved, especially Sam if he made the deal.

Obviously, this couldn't happen on the show because then there would be no season three. That's the fun of fan fiction though *grin*, we get to play these 'what if' ideas.

Also, as much as Dean's and Jo's relationship is being developed here, I didn't want it to be the reason why Dean didn't make the deal. I just wanted her to give him the time to stop and think...to question why the demon was offering the deal it was offering. I know it may seem selfish that he doesn't make the deal but to me it was selfish that he made it (which made for great tv) and that Sam would have to live with that burden for the rest of his life if Dean went to the pit for him.

Anyways, thank you again and I hope people enjoyed this part!

Val