Disclaimer: Too tired to write a disclaimer but y'all know the drill.
Ma Petite Enflamme,
Dear Jacqueline,
If you're reading this then I'm already dead. Either that or your curiosity got the better of you and you opened this prematurely. In that case you owe me fifty bucks, darling.
If it is the first though, I want you to know that I love you very much and that I'm proud of you Jack. You're smart, strong, kind and brave, I honestly don't know where you learned these traits because it wasn't from me. I've spent the past fifteen years trying to protect you, teach you and keep the things haunting our lives away from you. But I've often wondered if I did right by you, giving you this rootless existence. I've wondered what your father would think of all the running and secrecy. But I'm not one for empty regrets. I can't change the past, I can just hope I gave you the skills to survive after I'm gone.
Enclosed in this envelope is an ATM card with a bit of money I saved for you on it, you parents anniversary is the pin number, and yes I'm aware that I'm all kinds of soft and pathetic for making that the number but shut the fuck up about it, alright. Also… A key to a safety deposit box in Oklahoma City. Inside are some things you should know, should've know all along.
We've never been the types of people who display their emotions for all the world to see. I love you. I should have said it more when I had the chance. I tried to keep your parent's memory alive in you. They were good people, great people. I hate to leave you, the thought kills me. But I don't want you crying over me. And if I was killed by someone or something do not throw your life away for an act of revenge. It wont bring me back. I mean it Jack. Just throw me in the ground, down a shot for me and fight the good fight like you were meant too.
Love,
Christopher Fontenot
Jack finished reading, running her fingers over the worn lettering as she sat on the back porch watching the sunset. She sat on the railing with her leg stretched out in front of her.
"You barely make it out of that crash but the damn back pack comes out with barely a tear in it." John said walking out the door to join her on the porch.
"JanSport, they do good work." Jack replied folding her letter carefully and putting it back in her indestructible bag. John nodded and leaned against the railing. Jack watched him for a moment then turned her attention back to the pretty view. It was a habitual silence between the two of them, something they'd grown comfortable with over the last few weeks.
"When?" She asked.
"A couple of days. You guys will follow me as far as Topeka, then we'll split up." John answered. He'd told his sons days before that they'd be splitting up soon causing a knock down drag out fight between him and Sam. It didn't change anything, just ended with Sam being pulled one way and John the other. After they both cooled off John assured his son's that it wouldn't be like before. He'd call them regularly, tell them what was going on. It wasn't an ideal arrangement but he made it that clear it was going to happen.
"You really think that's what's best?" Jack asked carefully. She had made no secret about her opinions on finding other families connected to the Demon, it usually ended in an argument and she didn't want that today.
John gave her an obvious look that said not to push it with him. Instead she picked up a newspaper she'd been reading earlier.
"Odd disappearances plague sleepy town of Poplar Grove, Illinois." She read out loud. He turned and raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged.
"Thought you weren't a hunter." He said somewhat smugly.
"Eh, it could be fun." Jack said flippantly.
"Its not fun, its dangerous and you better stay on your guard if your gonna do this." John lectured sternly.
"Geez, dad you really don't know how to recruit do ya?" Sam asked coming outside. He took the newspaper from Jack's hands and read over the article.
"Find us a gig Sam?" Dean asked from the doorway.
"Jack might've." Sam replied..
"Taking a minor to demon hunt." Dean said making a tsk tsk noise. She swatted him on the arm, nearly falling off her seat in the process.
"Careful now." He smirked.
"Quit calling me a damn minor, its only for a few more months. Then I'll be good and legal." Jack said. "Good thing I'll have you guys around to celebrate properly." She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Damnit you got a dirty mind." Dean told her.
"You should talk, you flirt with anything with two legs and a pulse." Sam snorted.
"You wish Sammy." Dean retorted.
"Hmm." Jack said studying Sam.
"What?" He asked her frowning.
"Your eye twitches every time someone calls you 'Sammy'." Jack pointed out.
"Nuhuh." Sam said.
"Impressive legal argument Sammy." John said snorting a laugh when Sam's eye twitched of its own accord.
"See it just did!" Jack said pointing at his eye. "If you don't like it tell 'em not call you that."
"I tried, I've came to accept that I'm never gonna shake that damn nickname." Sam said glaring at his father and brother.
"Ah, the Five Stages of Nicknaming." Jack said.
"Yeah Denial, Complaining, Bitching, Moaning and Acceptance." Dean said teasingly.
"Shut up." Sam told them.
"Relax Sammy." Jack said laughing when his eye twitched. He slapped a hand over it and turned to his father.
"You see what your leaving me with Dad?" He demanded pointing to Jack and Dean.
"You'll live." John said patting him on the back.
"Come on we gotta go soon." Dean said tapping a beat out on Jack's cast, which she was due at to get taken off at the hospital that night.
"I think the docs will be surprised we're coming in one piece." Sam said handing Jack her crutches.
"I can break your nose for ya, say your a battered wife." Jack told him.
"That's battered lesbian life partner." Dean corrected.
"Dad." Sam whined.
"Stop teasing Sam you two." John said rolling his eyes.
"Yes sir." Dean said echoed by Jack.
"Come on to the Batmobile." Jack said limping ahead of them through the kitchen door. She couldn't wait to get the damn cast off her leg it was a pain in the ass.
"I get to be Batman." Dean called it.
"I don't think Sam will fit in the green Robin tights." Jack said looking the tall man up and down speculatively.
Sam held the car door open and helped Jack into the backseat he was dangerously close to buckling her into the seat when she gave him a look. He had a hard time not handling her with kid gloves since her release from the hospital.
"Thanks Sam." Jack said giving him a small smile which he returned before climbing into the front passenger seat.
"We take off in a couple of days." He said as Dean started the car.
"Yup." Dean said impassively. Those were the last words they said till they got to the hospital.
"Its healed very well." The doctor told them as he examined her x-ray.
"You'll have to take it easy for awhile and you might need to use the crutches for a few more days till you get used to walking on it again." He cautioned her. She nodded eagerly wanting to leave so she could run or turn cartwheels, anything the involved both legs, without getting a disapproving look from the hospital staff.
"I guess we can't park in the disabled spots anymore now." Dean said mournfully.
"You weren't supposed to before!" Jack said laughing. She hobbled out of the hospital doors waiting till they were close to the car before letting dropping her crutches to the ground. She did a clumsy victory dance and grinned.
"Its good to have my legs back. I was going crazy." She said trying to regain her balance. She gave up and took the crutches Sam offered. He laughed at her and mussed her hair. He winced when his hand brushed the bald spot at the base of her skull where they'd had to operate.
"I guess I'll have a tough time going through airport security from now on." She said pulling on an end of hair.
"We don't fly, Dean's a scared of planes." Sam said looking wickedly at his brother.
"Dude!" Dean said.
"Seriously?" Jack asked in shock.
"Yup." Sam said.
"So if I ever want to get something from you all I have to do is threaten you with frequent flyer miles." Jack said musingly.
"I have a gun and I know how to use it." Dean warned.
"I'm a cripple you can't shoot me." She protested.
"Former cripple." He corrected.
"Shotgun." Jack said claiming the front seat from Sam.
"This could take some getting used to." Sam mumbled crawling into the backseat. He hadn't had to do that since he was a kid. He wondered how things would change with Jack coming on the hunt with them. He looked up to see her watching him in the rearview mirror.
"If you say something mushy like you always wanted a little sister I'll think I'll jump from the car while its moving." Jack told him.
"Nah I wanted a puppy though." Sam told her.
"Woof" She said sarcastically.