Metropolis, Jo's Apartment

[tobeclosetohim]

She's standing at the sink, drinking a cup a coffee.

It's even a warm cup of coffee.




It's not much, but it is something.

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[tobeclosetohim]

There's a very, very slow movement. Her hand raised and she reached out. Then stopped, it staying in midair, perfectly still. Then it moves again, finger tips touching the side of his forehead, small callused fingertips dragging very slowly over about half an inch his skin while she maintained a distant, serious, conflicted expression.

[hector-aframian.livejournal.com]

"Your mom," Dean prompts her, staying very still, letting her touch, worried more by the cool fingertips against his skin.

"Ellen."

[tobeclosetohim]

"Wasn't her."

There is a tremor in her completely even tone.

Her fingers stopped moving, all of her did.



"Not anymore."

[hector-aframian.livejournal.com]

"Never is," Dean says softly, his fingers spreading out against her shoulder. "Shapeshifter?"

[tobeclosetohim]

"Zombies."

She looked down at his hand.

"The whole Road House."

[hector-aframian.livejournal.com]

"Jesus."

His hand tightens on her shoulder for a second, and then he gets up to move around to sit beside her. A moment of hesitation before he wraps his arm around her (too small, too thin) shoulders.

"Every hunter's nightmare - why didn't you call me?"

[tobeclosetohim]

Jo was quiet.


She had asked him.

She could still remember that.


The blur of everything else after it.

[hector-aframian.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Jesus, you did."

Guilt, like a hammer to the kidneys. Dean drops his head for a moment, wrestling with that.

"I'm sorry, Jo. I'd have --"

If he'd known? But he should have fucking known, he should have guessed, he shouldn't have let her waltz off to find her mom like that - no matter who she was with, where she was.

Guilt.

Dean hesitates, and cautiously lifts his other arm, not pressing but offering - a hug.

[tobeclosetohim]

She doesn't quite react to that, except to look at his arm.

"We handled it." It almost sounds like she's apologizing to him.

[hector-aframian.livejournal.com]

"You shouldn't have needed to."

He's definitely apologising to her. He starts to pull his arm back, and then looks at her face and doesn't - Goddamn it, girl could use a hug, a reminder that someone - a few someones - care about her. And knew Ellen, too. He's very gentle about it.

"I'm sorry, Jo."

[tobeclosetohim]

She doesn't move at all when he'd all around her.

Finding herself staring at his hair in her peripheral vision. Waiting.

[hector-aframian.livejournal.com]

He's not moving.

Not yet.

Not until it starts getting awkward and he has to cough awkwardly and release her gently.

"What're you gonna do now?"

[tobeclosetohim]

Jo's gaze moved to the wall, then back to Dean.

Trying to go conceptual led to blankness.



It took half a minute but then her shoulders rose and fell.

[hector-aframian.livejournal.com]

Dean nods.


"I'll be here."

[tobeclosetohim]

Jo blinked, gaze resting on his legs.

Everyone kept saying that.

Was it supposed to matter?







It's Dean




"Okay."

[hector-aframian.livejournal.com]

Dean keeps looking at her, helpless and not sure what to do, how to help her.

"What ... what do you need? You gotta tell me."