7
OH PAPA BEAR
Jo sat next to Dean in his office after the announcement. Everyone had cleared out except for Harvey, Arirca, and one other unnamed demon. Dean was calm, nursing his drink as Harvey walked to the entrance. Seconds later, a man was being dragged and brought to his knees directly in front of Dean.
"Gerald Trents," Harvey said, looking down at a piece of paper. The man looked around nervously, catching Jo's confused expression.
"Gerald. What a displeasure," Dean's voice boomed throughout the expanse of his office. Jo remained silent, and saw Dean's pointed stare. The man looked terrified, and she suddenly felt remorse for him.
"Please! Please j-just don't hurt me," the man begged.
"This is Hell. There are no shortcuts, no cheats, no tap outs, and…no mercy," Dean said in an authoritative tone. Harvey grinned from Dean's side, and Arirca busied himself in conversation with the other demon hanging around.
"No! No, no, no, please I'll do anything!" the man continued to plead.
"Put him on the rack." Dean's order was immediately carried out by Arirca and the other demon.
"What the Hell was that for?" Jo asked once it was just her and Harvey in the office.
"He raped four girls that were in the second grade. He deserves it," Dean muttered with a clenched jaw. "Don't question my orders Jo. I'm the King down here, and you're just gonna have to trust me." She moved farther away from him, leaning back in her chair.
"Sir, I think maybe you'd like to discuss the next matter in private," Harvey suggested in a knowing tone, and cast a glance at Jo. She felt slightly irritated by Harvey's comment, and looked to Dean to see what his answer would be. To her absolute amazement, he turned to her and nodded.
"What?" she said, wondering if he was really going to make her leave the room to talk to Harvey about something.
"I'll find you when I'm finished," he said, giving her an earnest look. His eyes were almost soft, but not pleading. There was no room for argument, so Jo rose to her feet. The sound of her heels clicking could be heard all the way to the entrance. Dean knew she was upset, but had a different issue to deal with. He didn't want Jo to be around for what was about to happen, and knew that it would upset her. "Bring him," Dean said to Harvey. Within a few minutes, the doors opened once more. Two demons were dragging a man towards Dean, and the Devil's eyes softened again.
"Dad," Dean greeted. John Winchester looked up at his son, and pain was evident in his stare.
Jo sat in the hall, pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace. Jeannie was with her, and Jo arguing with herself out loud. Jeannie sat patiently and listened, every now and then offering a word or two.
"I mean he makes everyone come to see my 'introduction' yet right when it's over he just pushes me to the side!" Jo said in anger. Jeannie offered her a glass of the wine, and Jo quickly accepted it. "What kind of wine is this?" Jo asked, interrupting her own rant.
"Here is the bottle," Jeannie said, showing her the bottle. The red label had blank ink. The words were in a different language, and Jo recognized it as Latin. Shrugging, she set the bottle down and continued to pace.
"What does he want me to do all day? Just sit here?" Jo commented, wanting Jeannie to say something. Looking towards the timid servant, Jo gave her an anticipating glare.
"Perhaps a walk would help?" Jeannie offered, unsure of what to offer. Jo's chocolate eyes glanced at the double doors, and she nodded. With Jeannie accompanying her, they wandered through the various halls. Passing by multiple demons, all eyes were on Jo. Some nodded and smiled in her direction, which she thought was a strange gesture for Hell. Others rolled their eyes and scoffed.
"What's that all about?" Jo asked, looking behind her back at a rude demon. Jeannie focused her gaze on the floor, and cleared her throat.
"I don't know much. I only hear whisperings," Jeannie explained.
"What whisperings?" Jo was very curious.
"Some do not think it's fair that a soul from the rack would be appointed Queen. That is all I know." Jo's eyes widened and she stopped walking to face Jeannie.
"A soul from the rack? Dean was on the rack before I even died! What difference does it make?"
"I am not sure Miss," the servant answered, but then she made eye contact with Jo. "Dean was on the rack?"
"Don't you know? He made a deal a long time ago to save his brother's life. A demon gave him one year to live, and he went to Hell. He was here for forty years before an angel pulled him out."
"I was unaware. I just thought he made a deal with Death."
"That was his second deal. If you knew Dean's family, you'd know that the Winchesters are famous for sacrificing themselves," Jo explained with a hint of a smirk. Thinking back to her time on Earth, she remembered John. He was always kind to her, especially when he would stop in for a drink after a hunt with her father Bill.
April 2nd, 1989
Harvelle Roadhouse
The bell rang above the door, signaling that someone entered the bar. A seven year old Joanna sat at one of the tables doing homework. She leaped off the chair once she saw it was her father and John. "Daddy!" she shrieked as she jumped into her father's arms. He laughed and gave her a scruffy kiss on her cheek. "Hi John!" Jo greeted.
"What no kiss for me?" Ellen Harvelle's voice rang from behind the bar. She was glowing with happiness that her husband had returned safe. Bill carefully set Jo down and moved to greet his wife.
"What's new Joanna?" John Winchester asked.
"Nothing much. We played this real fun game in gym yesterday," she offered, following John to one of the bar stools. With his assistance, she was able to sit on the one next to him. Bill and Ellen were busy with each other, so John reached over the bar to pour himself a brew.
"You did? What game?" John asked.
"I can't remember what it was called, but we had this big parachute and got to run around underneath it," her high voice explained. John chuckled at her enthusiasm and took a sip of his beer.
"My son told me about that game. They played it at the school he was at a few months ago," the hunter commented. Jo's eyes grew wide with wonder.
"You have kids? Why do they never come to play?" she asked, looking up at him with excitement. Being the only child, she didn't have other kids to play with. Sometimes she would go to a friend's house after school, but that was only if Ellen had time to pick her up later.
"I'm sure you'll meet them someday."
Dean sat in his chair and let out a tired sigh. He'd had the same argument with his father time and time again. Once a week he'd have John brought to see him, to offer him the same deal. Each week, John would refuse. Looking at the demons occupying his office, Dean dismissed everyone except for Harvey. Harvey was already privy to the discussion that was about to take place.
"Dad," Dean started, "something has changed."
"Don't call me that you bastard," John spat. He still did not believe that it was really Dean, and instead he thought his eldest son was possessed. John was positive that Dean was a simple meat suit or being used as a vessel of some sort, and he refused to believe anything different.
"Damn! Even in death you're a stubborn ass! Will you just listen to me?" Dean yelled and a vein was visible on the side of his neck. He was overly frustrated with the constant arguing John caused. His father remained silent, but gave him a death glare. "I've secured my position. There's no going back now."
"What, you find some demon bitch to seal the deal with Death?" John spat, glancing at Harvey in disgust.
"No." Dean stood and walked towards John. "I found Jo," he said.
