Chapter 5
Los Angeles
Warner Brothers Studio
(14-Weeks)
After spending the morning at the studio Sam and Dean finally got a hit on Frank Jaffey from a photo Tara showed Dean while they were talking earlier. Sam and Dean knocked on the door and an older man, who looked exactly like the man in the photo opened the door.
Dean raised an eyebrow.
“Gerard St. James?”
The man nodded and gave them a look of confusion.
“Yes.”
Sam frowned.
“You’re still alive. And you’re not Frank Jaffey.”
The guy smirked.
“Uh, no.”
Dean had been trying to figure out why he looked so familiar and then it hit him.
“You were Desert Soldier Number Four in Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn?”
Gerard looked at Dean and smiled.
“I was.”
“I knew I recognized you. I am a huge fan. I mean, your turn as a tractor crash victim in Critters 3?”
Gerard laughed.
“Critters 3!”
Sam watched as his brother’s eyes lit up with child like admiration and he shook his head.
“Wow. Yeah.”
Gerard moved aside and motioned for the boys to come in.
“Well, please, come in.”
They walked in and Gerard moved into the kitchen and came back a couple of minutes later with two cups of coffee. Dean glanced around the room and took in all the photos across the wall. Gerard was in all of them in some form, most likely from different roles he’d played.
Gerard cleared his throat and they turned to him as he spoke.
“Yeah, it was the producers. They brought me up for the day to play Frank.”
Dean frowned.
“Just to fake your death?”
He shrugged.
“Well, rumors of a haunted film set, free publicity, especially when you’re making a horror movie. It’s already all over the Internet.”
Sam wanted to roll his eyes. Some people would do anything for free publicity. It didn’t matter that it made their job harder. He sighed.
“Yeah. We know.”
Gerard gave them a palms up gesture.
“These days, it’s all about new media, building buzz. They say I’m the new LonelyGirl.”
Confusion crossed Dean’s face.
“Who?”
Sam cut Gerard off before he could answer Dean.
“And the ghost Tara saw?”
“Projected on a screen of diffusion.”
Dean raised an eyebrow.
“Isn’t that kind of cruel? Messing with their heads like that?”
“Hey, I just play the part. I don’t write the script. Speaking of, I’m playing Willy in a dinner theatre production of Salesman at Costa Mesa, all next month.”
He stood up grabbed a flyer and handed it to Dean. Dean took it and Gerard grinned.
“You get a free pepper steak with the coupon.”
Sam stood and Dean followed his lead before speaking.
“Now, wait a second. If you’re seen in public, won’t that ruin the hoax?”
Gerard waved him off and made a ‘psh’ sound.
“Oh, please. Frank and Willy? Totally different characters.”
Dean opened his mouth, but before he could say anything Sam cut him off.
“You know what? Thanks very much, Mr. St. James. It was just nagging at us. But we’re very glad…you know, you’re alive and well.”
Dean nodded.
“Absolutely.”
Gerard smiled and shook both their hands before walking them to the door. They said their goodbyes and Sam groaned as they walked toward the Impala. Dean glanced at him and raised an inquisitive eyebrow as they go to the car.
“What?”
“The people here are crazy.”
Dean chuckled as they got in the car and headed back to the motel. Fifteen minutes later Dean plopped down on the bed by the door as Sam tossed his jacket on the chair and glanced at Dean.
“I’m gonna grab a shower. Don’t fall asleep we should probably get back to the studio in a little bit.”
Dean grunted and Sam took that as a sign that he’d heard him. He lifted his shirt over his head and tossed it by his jacket as he walked into the bathroom. When Dean heard the door shut he sighed. It had been a slightly productive day.
He enjoyed being on set and meeting the actors, but most of all he liked how it kept his mind off of Jo. At least it did until now. Dean sat up on the bed and pulled out his cell phone. He hadn’t talked to Jo in almost two days.
He’d gone longer without talking to her, but not while they were fighting. Ever since they started this thing, he’d never left for a job while they were fighting and he didn’t like the way it made him feel. Truth be told, he was still upset from their last conversation or rather yelling match.
It hurt more than he wanted to admit when she told him not to come back. He glanced at the phone for a couple of seconds before flipping it open and dialing the familiar numbers.
Jo was walking past a table with a bus bucket in her arms when her cell phone rang. She shifted the bucket, reached down, and pulled it out. Right as she was about to round the bar one of her Mom’s hunter friends moved in front of her as she flipped the phone open.
“Whoa there Andrew, watch the hands…hello.”
Dean frowned. His voice was gruff when he spoke.
“Jo?”
Jo froze and glanced around the loud bar. Madison turned around and grinned at a customer as she handed him a beer. As she was turning back towards the drafts she caught Jo’s eye and frowned slightly. Jo mouthed ‘Dean’. Madison came over, took the bucket from her and waved her off.
Jo gave her half a smile as she walked towards the back where things were more quiet. Dean scratched the back of his neck as he heard the noise on the other end of the phone. He cleared his throat and spoke louder.
“Jo…”
Her voice was muffled when she spoke.
“Hold on a sec…I can’t hear anything.”
He swallowed hard as he waited. A minute or so later the noises were muffled and he heard her soft voice fill the silence.
“Dean…you still there?”
“Yeah…”
She bit her lip. She wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t exactly the nicest person before he left, but then again neither was he. She cleared her throat and decided to start off with the basics. She knew Dean didn’t like the emotional shit.
“You get to California okay?”
“Yup, early yesterday.”
“Job going okay?”
“It’s going…we just lost our best lead…I’m sure something else will turn up though.”
Jo glanced down at the ground as she absently rubbed a hand over her stomach.
“If anyone can handle the job it’s you and Sam…”
Her voice trailed off and Dean chuckled. It amused the hell out of him how both of them were reluctant to start the conversation in the direction of why he really called. She heard his laughter coming through the phone and she smiled.
“We’re so bad at this.”
She laughed.
“Yeah…we really are. Dean…I’m so sorry…I was upset...I was upset before you yelled at me about the car…and I just snapped. I didn’t…I mean…”
She paused and her voice was quiet. Dean could hear a hint of worry in it as she spoke.
“You know I want you to come back right?”
Dean got off the bed and paced the room.
“Yeah…I know you didn’t mean it.”
There was relief in her voice.
“Good.”
The line was quiet for a minute before Dean broke the silence.
“I’m sorry I yelled. I’ve been stressed more than usual lately…and that’s just how I deal with it…you know I’m not good at all this touchy feely crap.”
A slow smirk slid onto Jo’s face as she leaned against the backdoor and pressed her phone to her ear.
“Well now that’s not accurate….if memory serves me correctly you’re very good at the touching and feeling stuff…”
Dean smirked and sat at the top of the bed with his legs up. There was a mixture of amusement and lust in his voice.
“Is that so?”
“Mmm…”
“Someone misses me.”
Jo rolled her eyes good naturedly.
“Yeah, parts of you.”
Dean’s deep chuckle reverberated through the phone filling Jo with warmth. She missed his laugh. She hadn’t heard it nearly enough lately.
“We’ll be back in a few days and then you can show me exactly which parts you missed.”
“I can definitely do that…so…we good?”
He leaned against the headboard and let out a deep breath.
“Yeah, we’re good. Listen I just heard the water stop. Sammy’s about to get out of the shower so I gotta go.”
“I’ll see you soon…be careful.”
“Always am sweetheart. We’ll give you a heads up when we’re makin’ our way back.”
“Okay…wait Dean?”
“Hmm…”
“You remember that diner we went to by Maddie’s house?”
Dean frowned slightly.
“I remember the pie…”
“Me too. Can you bring a pie home?”
Dean raised an eyebrow at the phone. There was amusement in his voice.
“From that dinner?”
“Yeah…their pie was amazing…I really want some.”
“Jo we’re in LA…not San Francisco.”
“Dean I want some of that pie…”
Dean closed his eyes and ran a hand over his face as he shook his head.
“I’ll see what I can do okay? No promises.”
“Thanks! Shit…okay I gotta go. I can hear fighting in the bar.”
Dean frowned.
“Don’t you dare get in the middle of any hunters fighting there. I left you at the Roadhouse to avoid the fighting. Give the kid a rest…take a nap…sharpen some knives. Do something where you’re sitting on that nice ass of yours.”
Jo chuckled.
“Goodbye Dean…”
Dean yelled into the phone as Sam opened the bathroom door.
“I’m serious…that kid’s gonna come out punchin’…Jo…hello…”
Dean glanced at the phone before looking up at Sam’s smiling face. He glared at his brother.
“Shut up.”
Sam rummaged through his bag and pulled out a clean shirt and a pair of pants.
“I knew you’d call her eventually…”
Dean snorted.
“You ready to go Sammy? We got some snooping to do.”
Sam fixed his shirt and slipped his shoes back on before nodding.
“Ready…”
They were walking out of the motel and Sam’s grin returned.
“So…how’s Jo?”
Dean rolled his eyes as they got into the car.
“Oh, would you stop going on and on about Jo…jeez if I didn’t know better I’d think you were sweet on her Sammy…”
Sam shook his head.
“Jerk…”
“Bitch…”
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