The Fallen in The War

Banner by: Andrea

Title: The Fallen in The War
Pairing: Dean/Jo
Rating: PG-13
Fictable Prompt: #023 Return for Deansmisstress22
Word Count: 1,569
Summary: In the aftermath of Carthage Dean knew what he had to do.


He sat on the back porch of Bobby’s house waiting, a glass of whiskey in his hand. Dean ran his free hand over his face before taking a long sip from the glass he was holding. It had been two days since the explosion in Carthage, but it felt like a thousand. It was dark outside and it was starting to grow colder, but Dean ignored it. It wasn’t like the cold weather was going to kill him. He brought the glass back to his lips and drained it.

He held it in his hands, dangling it between his legs as his arms rested against his thighs. Dean kept his head down as his eyes stared into the empty glass. After spending the night with Bobby and Sam watching a picture of his makeshift family burn in the fireplace, Dean knew what he had to do. He had waited until Bobby and Sam fell asleep before getting in his car and driving.

He wasn’t sure how long it took, but time felt irrelevant anyway. Everything had ceased to matter the second he watched that building blow up with Jo and Ellen in it. Ever since that moment, he’d been numb, inconsolable. Dean hadn’t realized how much she mattered until he heard her cry out as the hellhound ripped into her. He winced, his eyes slipping shut slowly.

The images were still there imbedded into his brain; the expression on her face, her weight in his arms, the clamminess of her skin. His chest tightened as a lump formed in his throat. The smell of her blood had been thick in the air and it had taken everything in him not to break down on the two way radio when he was talking to Bobby.

It was then that he knew why he’d stayed away from her all those years, why he never called her or went out of his way to look for her. Somewhere deep down he knew she was different from all the other women out there. He knew if he let himself, he could fall in love with her and undoubtedly she’d be taken away from him.

That had always been the one thing Dean was afraid of, losing someone he loved to this fight. Like his Dad, like Bobby, like Ellen…Like Sam. He hadn’t wanted Jo to meet that fate so he stayed away. A shit ton of good that had done though, Jo was still gone and it was his fault. Dean opened his eyes and let out a long breath as he gazed around the junkyard taking it all in.

It wouldn’t be long now. They had told him it would take some time, a day at the most but she’d be there and that was all that had mattered to him. It wasn’t as good as the last deal he made, though he supposed a year to live wasn’t very good when you were supposed to get ten. This time they gave him six months and Dean was alright with that. It would be six months more that he had with her than before.

Knowing Jo, she was going to be pissed at him, but he didn’t care. She could yell and scream and bitch all she wanted. This was what he’d needed to do. Dean couldn’t live knowing she had died for him, the guilt alone was already eating at him and despite the fact that it felt like an eternity since he’d seen her it had only been two days. If he was this bad now he couldn’t imagine what he’d be like two, three, four months down the road.

But more than that Dean couldn’t live with the reality that they had never found their ‘right place, right time’. That was just another thing on a long list of things that were his fault, but this time he wasn’t going to waste the opportunity. In this world there was never going to be a ‘right place, right time’ for a relationship with Jo, he was just going to have to create it himself and that’s what he was doing.

The sound of shoes crunching against the pavement in front of him knocked him from his thoughts and made his head jerk up, eyes wide as they searched for her. But he only found Crowley. Dean’s jaw tightened as he sneered at the demon in front of him. “What the hell are you doing here?” He bit out as he pushed himself off the stairs and stood stiffly.

Crowley held up his hands in a mock gesture of harmlessness as he smirked in Dean’s direction. “Hey now friend, I come in peace…Mostly,” He joked as he took in the other mans ragged appearance. “Imagine my surprise when I heard about your deal…Tsk tsk Dean, does your brother know you’re playing the martyr once again?” He asked amusement dancing in his eyes. “What would he think of you selling your soul to bring that hot blonde piece of ass back to life?” He inquired while arching an eyebrow at the older Winchester brother.

Dean’s hand tightened around the glass as his jaw clenched. “You shut your trap you son of a bitch.” He snapped not liking the way Crowley had referred to Jo. “I’ll ask you one more time before I stop using my words and start using my pistol. What the hell are you doin’ here Crowley?”

The demon watched him closely for a minute and decided that Dean meant what he was saying. If it was one thing he knew about the other man it was how much of a nasty bastard he could be when pissed off. So, Crowley decided now wasn’t time to push his buttons. He cleared his throat and slipped his hands into his pockets. “I wanted to deliver your request in person. The six month countdown starts tonight.” He warned before snapping his fingers.

Jo appeared next to him gasping for air as she fell to her knees her skin hot, body shivering as she tried to figure out what was happening. One minute she’d heard her Mother talking to her and the next everything had gone black and she had been sinking into darkness. But then all of sudden it was as if she was wrenched free. Pain radiated through her body as she held one hand to her chest and pressed the other palm flat against the ground.

Dean’s eyes widened, his gaze shifting to Crowley as he opened his mouth to say something, but before he could the demon was gone. He shook himself, the glass dropping from his hands, hitting the concrete and shattering into a dozen pieces, but the sound didn’t faze him. He walked down the steps and across the lot to Jo, his heart pounding in his chest the closer he got.

When he was directly in front of her, Dean bent down and hesitated for a brief second before reaching out to her and placing a hand on her arm. Jo jerked beneath his grip her head coming up and finally meeting his eyes. Dean swallowed hard as he held her gaze. “Jo?”

She opened her mouth right as everything came flooding back into her mind. The rush of information knocked her forward and she gripped Dean’s arm tightly her nails digging into his skin as her eyes slammed shut, the intensity of everything overwhelming her. She died…And not the kind of dying you come back from, at least not without a little magical assistance. Jo took a deep breath and slowly opened her eyes before meeting Dean’s gaze.

They were both quiet for a long minute before she finally broke the silence around them. “Why’d you do it?” She whispered, pain in her eyes as she cupped his cheek. Dean sold his soul to bring her back, it was the only explanation.

Dean watched her for a minute before gripping her waist and pulling her into a standing position. He held her steady for a minute, her footing shaky. “Because I couldn’t lose you.” He told her softly as he brushed a thumb over her cheek.

Tears pooled in Jo’s eyes as she shifted forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. “We’ll find a way to get you out of the deal.” She said nodded as she held him tightly. Dean had expected that. He knew Jo was going to try and save him, but he also knew it wasn’t going to happen. Just like Sam hadn’t been able to save him and he was okay with that.

He gripped her face and nodded. “We’ll find a way,” He said appeasing her before catching her gaze and watching her for a minute. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers softly. Jo deepened the kiss and pulled him closer. Dean broke the kiss a minute later and rested his forehead against hers. “I love you,” He said hoarsely as he held her face in his hands.

Jo nodded gripping him tightly. “I love you too,” She whispered before pressing another kiss to his lips. She knew this wasn’t over. He still needed to kill Lucifer and she needed to find a way for him to break his deal, either way they had a long road ahead of them, but at least they were both alive and together and that’s all that mattered.