Author's note: All characters belong to Eric Kripke. Slightly OC. thanks to those who reviewed / set up author / story alerts. You guys are amazing! So, yeah. This chapter starts out focused on Ellen, but no worries! it'll go back to Sam-ville soon enough.

***Special thanks to my beta, kenny, who knows when to say no to a crazy idea AND, how to double check my math.

"You better take care of that car, Sammy. Or I swear, I'll haunt your ass."

"I don't think that's funny."

"Oh come on, it's a little funny." -Winchester brothers. Season one, FAITH.

Ellen didn't stay by his side the whole time. She wasn't some worried hag; there was no way in hell she'd hover by his sulky ass for days on end. There was a battle to be fought, with or without his help.

But... she guessed, if she were going to be honest here...

We need him.

Ellen's hand scrubbed at the living room apolstry, grunting over a mysterious stain that threatened to ruin her mood. Not that it wasn't already in a piss-pour state, but still. The friggin' thing wouldn't come out! If it had any sense of being, it would understand. After all, she'd been scrubbing at it since her daughter left. And when was that, exactly? Oh, she doesn't know. Maybe six hours or so prior. Plenty of time for her to wash out a couple little stains.. but no. To compliment this, Bobby, the self-proclaimed man-child who can't do anything himself, was missing too. So she couldn't make him help her, either. In fact, the only other person in the entire house was-

"Mom! I'm back!"

Scratch that.

Ellen dropped her rag, and stood. Hazel eyes watched with unkempt fury as the petite blond flounced into the room, beaming. Her clothes were a mess, and her hair... oh, she's not even going to try and understand why it was so different.

''Where the hell have you been, Joanna Beth?''

Jo smiled coyly, unphased by the use of her full name. She turned around then, footsteps small and precise. Ellen didn't like that one bit. Her arms folded irratly, watching as the girl stretched her hand out to the doorway.

Strange.. what is she-

Ellen's breath caught, gaping at the handsome figure who trailed after the measily motion from Joanna. Like a moth to a flame, the silloutte didn't let his gaze stray to anything else until he had that hand. Once reaching it, Jo turned back so they could present themselves as a whole; as a couple even; and a dangerous hunting team, if Ellen didn't know any better. To be honest, he was actually pretty hot, but not exactly your homemaker material. She raked her gaze along his panther-like limbs with a critical eye, half disgusted by the end product of her daughters dissapearence and half amused.

"Mom, this is.."

"Wait just a minute, Joanna."

Shifting to plant a hand on her hip, Ellen snaps to a motherly role as if that boy didn't matter one lick. She admits that the likeness is uncanny, but she'd never draw any attention to the actuality of those piercing green eyes. Jo's expression darkens in retaliation, no doubt a warning. Not that Ellen heeds it or anything, she just brushes it off like everything else.

"You better tell me what'cha been doin' all day, cus' I've been worried sick about you, dammit!"

"Seriously?"

Ellen pretends not to notice the way the stranger wraps his arm around her in a protective embrace, or how Jo stirs strength from the act. "Fine." She huffs. And Ellen rocks back on her heels, ready for the verbal backtalk thats sure to be coming her way any second.

"I was with Don." Jo smiles again, despite the prediction.

"...Who?"

"That's me, ma'am." He waves brightly from his spot, grinning like an idiot.

And what was Ellen's first response?

Dumbass.

She barely supresses a growl, let alone a mock salute that involved waving the devil bird around. Yeah, her opinion of this boy had definitly gone straight to the grave.

"Ah. Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Don." Using her 'friendly' voice, Ellens rolls an arm toward the surrounding room, trying to think of ways to keep her temper in check. Counting to ten? No. She'd never been very good at math. Thinking happy thoughts? Fuck that. "Feel free to take a seat someplace, mnkay? Me and Joanna need to have a... chat."

Jo doesn't seem pleased, but it's too late. Don has obviously caught the hint, and slips away from the blonde's touch to fall into the couch. He doesn't even act shy about being in a foreign place- or under spotlight with his girlfriend's mother -just picks up a random book and starts reading. As if he's been coming here for years.

This doesn't sit too well with Ellen either.

She hooks arms with Jo, walking slowly into the next room. By then, Don is so engrossed with whatever he's reading that she doubts he noticed her second look; contemplating whether this boy is a gift from god, or if she should dose him in some holy water.

Cus' lord have mercy, he looked like him.

"Mom... what's wrong?"

Blinking down at her daughter, Ellen hesitates. She tries to conjure the right words to say, knowing that how she voices this is key. Jo had never been very receptive to what her mother disapproved of, so after catching how this boy was obviously going to be a huge problem, she wanted to be extra careful.

"Why'd you bring him here?"

She sighs, leaning back against the dinning table.

"I..., wanted you to meet him. Is that wrong?" Jo fingers her skirt, smoothing out the wrinkles.

"Yes, it was horribly wrong." They both grew quiet for some moments, trying to understand what to say. No doubt for the screaming match that'll enproach soon. Jo lets her anger bubble for a moment, furrowing her eyebrows to a dangerous point.

"You should have brought him over for supper, Joanna."