Title: Motherly Concern Trumps Daughterly Attitude
Summary: Tired of waiting for Jo to return home again, Ellen hunts her down. Short sequel to 'The Hard Price of Motherly Concern'.
Rating: K
Disclaimer: Supernatural was created by Eric Kripke. No disrespect is intended.

She didn't know why Jo looked so surprised to see her.

"Well don't just stand in the doorway, Jo. Let me in."

"Mom?" Jo's eyes were wide, body blocking entry into the room. "How did you find me?"

Never underestimate how far a mother will go when supremely concerned over the welfare of her only child. Ellen quirked a brow. "You think you're the only one with friends? I called in a few favors." Quite a few actually. Every favor she'd ever had coming had been cashed in for this moment. She brushed past Jo and surveyed the room, noting the fast food containers littering the dresser and table top and the battered laptop computer with a stack of papers beside it. There were no articles or pictures up on the walls that told her Jo was on a hunt; nothing to betray that path Jo had so forcefully chosen for herself. The only thing Ellen saw was her child barely surviving.

That certainly wouldn't do. Not if she had anything to say about it.

Jo closed the door behind her and leaned against it. "Mom? What are you doing here?"

"First thing we have to do is assess your skills, see what we need to work on, then divide how we're going to go about our hunts."

"Our hunts?" Jo pushed off from the door and crossed her arms.

"Yes, our hunts. How many years was I married to your father?" A rhetorical question. She saw Jo's eyes roll slightly. "How many of those years was he a hunter?" Another rhetorical question. "I picked up one or two things. Now, let's sit down and you tell me all about the hunts you've been taking on these past months since you ran off again."

Jo looked away and Ellen saw a glimpse of the truth, pressing on before Jo could say anything. She had to be quick, to get out her points before Jo could formulate an argument. Ellen sat on the bed, leaving Jo still standing.

"Not as easy as you thought on your own, is it? We women have the deck stacked against us in this profession and always will, but I think you and I together can do a bunch of that good you always talked about. You're right. The world needs all it can get. I liquidated everything -- sold the house, the bar. It was a good thing I had the Roadhouse rebuilt. It brought in a nice tidy sum. New owner is nice, said she might just call it the Roadhouse; that it had a good ring to it." She shrugged. "We have funds to live on for a long time if we're frugal."

"Mom --"

"Don't interrupt me, Joanna Beth. If we're going to do this, we're doing it right. We're training and not just in how to do proper research. We'll do hard physical exercises, weapons training, the works. We can't just be another couple women doing the job. We have to be the very best at this that we can be. A team, a cohesive unit, united in a purpose. Team Harvelle hitting those evil sons-of-bitches as hard as we can."

"Mom!"

Ellen took a deep breath. "What?"

Jo sat beside her, smiled a tentative smile. "I've missed you."

That was all it took for Ellen's annoyance at her long search for Jo to crumble. She embraced her, hugged her tight. "I know, baby. I missed you, too." She pressed a kiss to Jo's temple. "I've found you and I'm not letting you go again. I've had to watch you walk away from me twice now and it tore me apart both times. I want to do this with you; hunt those bad things and bring 'em down. Can we be a team, Jo?"

She was hugged in return for a moment, until Jo drew back. "We already are, mom."

Ellen nodded. "Then it's settled. Let's go get you a proper meal, okay?"

"I'd like that."

They caught up over dinner, Jo telling her all those things she hadn't back at the house months earlier, letting Ellen into her world.

Maybe she couldn't protect Jo, but she could damn well try. She'd die trying if necessary.