Chapter 4: Sharpshooter

"Love is friendship set on fire." -Jeremy Taylor

Friday - 2 days later

Jo had run into Dean a couple of times while he was working. He said he would take her shooting on Saturday when Bill and Ellen would be gone at a luncheon at their friend's home.

Jo really wanted to talk to him again. Their talk a couple of days ago was really nice, and Jo loved knowing that she had found someone to confide in. Someone to talk to about the pressure of her life. Someone to rant with about how stupid it all was. And Jo was really glad that that person was Dean Winchester.

Sure they had gotten off to a rough start in the beginning when they were kids, but they were older now. And she liked Dean more than she let on. He wasn't just drop-dead gorgeous or handsome, but he was deeper than that.

When he wasn't looking, she watched him while he worked out in the fields. Dean worked hard and was always helping everyone out. He was respectful to Bobby and Rufus and joked around with Ash. He helped out Rufus' kids when they were too tired. He wasn't prejudiced because of the color of Rufus and his family's skin. He was accepting and Jo didn't want to say perfect because he still could be a pain in the ass, but he had become a great man over the years. She just couldn't believe it took her this long to notice.


Dean raised his head to wipe some sweat from his brow and caught Jo staring at him intently. He shot her a wink and chuckled.

Jo quickly looked away fighting off the redness of her blushing cheeks so he wouldn't see. Damn, Dean for making her blush like some schoolgirl with her first crush.


Saturday

Jo woke and performed her usual morning routine. After breakfast, she eagerly said good-bye to her mother and father. Once their carriage was far enough away, Jo let out a sigh of relief and ran upstairs.

She rummaged around in her parents' closet until she found an old pair of Bill's gray trousers that would fit her. Then she went to her room, closed her door, and looked inside her closet. She found a simple white cotton blouse to wear with it.

She untied her stringing and changed out of her dress and corset as fast as her nimble little fingers would take her. She put on the trousers and quickly buttoned up her blouse.

She paused and eyed herself in the mirror. She was more than pleased with her ensemble. Now this was more like it! No corsets making it impossible for her to breathe. She could actually move around. She giggled with joy and excitement. She was finally going to be herself and no one else's idea of proper.


Jo slowly made her way down the stairs so no one would spot her. If Karen saw her, she wouldn't be going anywhere dressed like that. And she sure as hell wouldn't be going anywhere if Karen found out what she was up to.

She eyed the kitchen. No Karen. Coast is clear. She ran until she made it out the backdoor. Once the warm sun hit her skin, Jo knew the day was off to a great start.


Dean left his cabin quickly and grabbed the revolver slowly. He got dressed fast and closed the door quietly as not to wake John who was hung over on his bed sleeping off the whiskey. If John was sober, he would be pissed Dean was corrupting little Miss Jo Harvelle. However, Dean could care less what John or anyone else could think. He liked Jo a lot and had for a while now. He was just happy they were finally getting close.

Dean walked to the back of the plantation house. He spotted Jo and walked up to her. He had never seen her wear anything but a dress before. Even though she had on pants and a shirt, she was still gorgeous in his eyes. Her blonde curls reflected the sunlight. She was practically glowing. She looks like an angel.

He smiled. "Nice clothes," he remarked.

"Well, I figured shooting in a dress might make it a little more difficult than it's already gonna be."

Dean smirked. "I thought you liked a challenge?"

She scoffed. "Just shut your trap, Winchester." She paused. "So where are we doing this thing?"

He pointed his finger past the barn. "There's a clearing through the woods over there. It's just far enough away that no one will hear us, so we won't get caught."

Jo was more than eager to leave the farm. "Let's go!"


After about a half hour, Dean and Jo finally entered the clearing. It was open with lots of soft grass like a meadow. There was a small river that ran on the opposite side of the clearing forming a swimming hole. The whole clearing was surrounded by the forest and trees. Almost as if they were protecting it from the outside world and all its troubles.

Jo had never felt so free before in her life. Her heartbeat quickened as Dean reached out for his bag and pulled out the colt.

"How much do you know about how to shoot one of these puppies?"

"My Dad wouldn't ever let me go near one. It wasn't 'women-approved' so not a lot."

"So you're a beginner. No problem." Jo looked nervous. "It really isn't as hard as it looks, Jo. "


Dean explained to her the basic parts of the gun and showed her how to load the bullets and gun powder properly. "I'm going to go first, so just watch and learn." Dean took a stance and straightened the colt. He aimed for a tree and shot. Bang!

There was a perfect dent right in the center of the tree. "Now you try."

He handed over the gun to her. The cold metal felt firm against her palms as she straightened herself out and tried to copy Dean's stance. She aimed and shot.

There was still one hole. She looked around and saw her bullet hole not on the tree where she had aimed at, but on the next tree over.

Dean laughed. "Well, there goes beginner's luck."

"Hey! It's my first time doing this. Cut me some slack."

He got up. "Here, let me help you." Dean wrapped his strong muscular arms around Jo's small frame and aligned his hands with hers on the gun. "See, you just gotta hold it straight and align it right."

Dean's big hands covered Jo's small ones. His hands were calloused from years of work yet soft all the same. They covered her delicate ones. If Jo was nervous before, then she didn't know what she was feeling now. Her heartbeat was faster than a jack rabbit. Dean being all close to her wasn't helping at all.

He leaned down close and for a second she thought he would kiss her, but he turned his head and whispered to her. His hot breath tickled her ear. "Just relax, Jo." He ran his free hand over the soft curve of her hip, gently smoothing out her blouse with his thumb. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

Jo took a breath to calm her nerves and pulled the trigger along with Dean. Bang!

Her bullet hole was right next to his. Jo jumped around happily like a little kid making Dean smile. "Yes!"

"See, you got it! You just gotta relax, Jo."

Yeah, well maybe I could do that if you didn't have your body all rubbing up against mine. "Hopefully next time I can do it on my own," she said in a shaky breath.

"Yeah, but then I don't get to have my hands all over you."

Jo's eyes widened and she smacked him on the chest playfully. He laughed and they went back to target practice.

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BTW, check out Apocalyxtic98's story Temporary Bliss-it's another AU Dean/Jo fic. It's really good and super angsty and funny, too. It's got practically every genre going on in it so check it out!

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