I got another one shot for you.

I promise there are some multi chapter fics in the works as well.

This was just a little niggle in my brain that I couldn't get rid of so here it is, I hope you enjoy!


When in Nebraska, what else is there to do after a job, then to check in with Jo and Ellen at the Roadhouse? Ellen was probably going to take a chunk out of me and Sammy for not calling in a couple months, we kept meaning to but then there was always another job and we got side-tracked. Part of me just wanted to avoid going to see her and just give her a quick call to avoid the slap we were both going to get.

I pulled up to the bar and noticed three cars parked out front, one of them I recognised as Jo's but I didn't recognise the other two, I guess they belong to other hunters. I stopped the car and took the key out of the ignition, Sam took a deep breath as he got out of the car and I followed. Why didn't we just call Ellen?

We walked into the bar and there they were, mother and daughter, both were standing behind the bar working but both looked up when they heard the door open.

"Boys!" Ellen called out happily and rushed around the bar, I noticed Jo smile and follow behind her mother "How're you doing?" Ellen asked as she hugged us both.

"We're good, just finished up a hunt a few hours away, thought we'd stop by" I answered.

As I expected; Ellen slapped both Sammy and I around the head "Call more, how many times do I have to tell you both?" She demanded.

"Sorry Ellen" Sam said as he rubbed his head.

"I promise you'll be my first call after every hunt" I promised.

"You're damn right I will be" She stated.

Ellen went back behind the bar and started grabbing drinks and glasses.

"You're looking good Jo" I said with a flirty smile.

"You're looking a little tired Dean" She teased with a giggle. Jo wrapped her arms around me, I was a little taken back but I hugged her back and we just stood there embracing each other for a few moments before Jo pulled away "Hey Sammy" She hugged Sam and he hugged her back but it wasn't for as long as I had hugged her.

Jo is the only other person in the world that Sam will allow to call him Sammy, I don't know why but he lets it go.

Ellen placed the drinks down in front us and gave us a smile before walking away, leaving me and Sammy with Jo "Thanks" I nodded.

"So, tell me, what hunt did you just finish?" Jo asked.

"Djinn" Sam stated.

"Wow... I've never actually come across one" She replied in surprise.

"Not our first and I'm sure it's not going to be our last" I told her.

"Maybe next time you come across a Djinn I can join you"

"I don't think so" I stated quickly and sternly.

"What?" She questioned in shock, probably more at my tone than anything else "Wow Dean, say what you really feel" She said sarcastically and walked away and out back.

Sam gave me a wide eyed look before turning away from me and looking down at his beer. The mood changed between us and it seemed that the bar got deathly quiet, like strange quiet.

I didn't mean to snap at Jo but the thought of her facing a Djinn, let alone three Djinn's, like Sam and I just did, scares the hell out of me. I know she's a good hunter and can handle her own but I don't like the thought of her being in harm's way and I'm not going to be the one to put her there.

When she was taken by H.H Holmes; I was so worried that I just wanted to scream and scream and scream. I was ready to kill and destroy everything to get her back. I was so worried about getting her back that I didn't even care about the spirit, I know that sounds strange because it was the spirit that took her but I just wanted to get her as far away from there as possible. The thought of something like that happening to her again is just too much for me to deal with.

When I'm on a hunt, I've already got Sammy to worry about; I don't need to be worrying about Jo as well. If I took Jo on a hunt and she got hurt or worse, killed, I would never forgive myself and Ellen would never forgive me either. I've already got enough blood on my hands and guilt to deal with, I don't need Jo's blood or death or injury on my hands as well.

"You were a bit harsh" Sam finally said.

"Don't go there Sam" I warned.

"I'm just saying, you didn't need to be that... snappy... with her. She just wanted to come on a hunt with us, experience the monsters we talk to her about. How many times did I do that with you and dad? It's a normal thing" He said.

"I can't be responsible for her" I stated.

"You don't have to be" He argued.

"Yes I do"

"I'm just saying-"

"Don't"

SUPERNATURAL

Everyone headed up to bed a long time ago, Ellen set up a room for Sam and me to stay the night. I couldn't sleep and she knew it so she told me I could stay down in the bar and get some 'down time' if I wanted. I appreciated it, I just needed the dark and quiet to relax and catch a breath. The fight with those Djinn's wasn't easy and we got out of there by the skin of our teeth.

I can't stop thinking about what Jo had said earlier about joining us on the next Djinn hunt... what if she had been there? She could've gotten herself hurt or worse and that would've been my fault. There is no way she is coming with us on another hunt for as long as I live, I can't have it. I don't care if she hates me for it but it is better this way, this way she will be kept safe.

A light turned on, I reached for my gun when I saw it was just Jo. She was wearing her pyjamas but looked like she hadn't been to sleep, although she was the first one to go up to bed. She didn't say anything; she just grabbed a bottle of Whiskey off the top shelf and sat down at the table opposite me.

"Past your bedtime?" I asked jokingly.

She didn't look impressed with my joke "I'm not a kid Dean and as soon as everyone starts to realise that, maybe we can all move on with our lives" She stated and took and took a shot.

"Alright, I'm sorry and I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier"

"So you should be"

A silence fell over us. Jo just looked at me, she didn't say anything, just looked at me so I did the same back to her. In silence, we just looked at each other and it was awkward but I wasn't going to back down first.

Jo broke eye contact. She looked down at the table and pretended that she was reading the bottle of Whiskey on the table in front of her.

"You giving me the silent treatment?" I asked but she didn't say anything "Ok, what do you want from me?" I asked.

"I want you to treat me like an adult" She said calmly and reasonably.

"I'm sorry if I was mean. I wasn't trying to be" I told her and I meant it, I really didn't mean to come across as mean to her.

"Could've fooled me" She quipped "Look, all I want is for people to take me seriously as a hunter. I'm not this kid in pigtails anymore, I'm a big girl and I can look after myself. Hell, I can throw a punch better than most of the hunters that come in here. I'm a fast runner, I am an excellent shot. I'm a damn good hunter and I want to be treated like that" She explained.

I nodded as she spoke "You're right. You're a good hunter... but I don't want you on a hunt with me" I told her.

She got up from the table and stormed over to the bar, she slammed her hand down and stood there with her back to me. She was taking some deep breaths to calm herself. I stood from the table and went over to her, putting my hand on the small of her back but she pushed me away and took a few steps away from me.

"Jo, c'mon" I pleaded.

"Why don't you want me on a hunt with you?" She asked, facing me angrily.

Well that's not an easy answer, how do I go around this?

"C'mon Dean. What is so bad about me hunting with you?" She questioned.

"You really don't know?"

Surely she knows, surely she can see what she means to me. It seems that everyone else seems to know. Even Ellen made a stupid comment about it earlier... why can't Jo see it?

"No Dean, I don't know so why don't you tell me"

I didn't have the words.

I grabbed Jo by the hips and put her against the bar and did the only thing I could do to show her. I crashed my lips onto hers. I held her by the hips and she didn't respond at first, it took a few seconds but then she kissed me back. She grabbed two handfuls of my shirt and brought me closer to her. I smiled against her lips and felt her smile back, I pulled away from her slightly and we stood there smiling.

"I care about you" I stated simply.

"I care about you too" She replied softly.

"That's why I don't want you hunting Djinn's or anything else with me. I want to keep you away from monsters, not deliver you to them. I know you're a good hunter and I know you're got a mean punch, I've been on the receiving end of it, but if you're there with me, I'm going to be so worried about you that I wouldn't care if that monster went and killed someone else. Having you by my side during a hunt would take my focus away from the job at hand" I explained and she nodded along "I worry enough about Sammy there but you there as well... I wouldn't be able to function, and if something happened to you, I would never be able to forgive myself" I finished.

"I'm a hunter" She stated.

"I know you are and you're a damn good one but I can't have you on a hunt with me, do you understand why?" I asked.

"I get it but I don't like being away from you" She admitted.

"Jo" I sighed and took a step back "I don't like being away from you either but I like you being safe" I told her and she shook her head at me "I've lost enough people in my life. I don't have much left in this world but I still have you... I can't risk that"

"Ok"

"Ok?"

"Yes, ok" She nodded "I get it, I really do and I don't want to be the reason you're not focused on a hunt" She said.

Jo grabbed my hand and pulled me close to her again, I put my hands on her hips and leaned down to meet her lips in a kiss.