Chapter 1

Dean walked into the Roadhouse, feeling apprehensive after the long trip in silence; Ellen was still furious at being lied to. This was not unexpected; in hindsight, he probably should have come clean the minute he found out Jo had followed them there. He was surprised she didn't kill him the very next time she saw him. In truth, he kinda wished she had; it would have spared him that long, awkward-as-hell drive back, where all attempts at conversation had fallen flat.

Foreigner's song really hadn't helped.

However, he felt obligated to say something, if only not to have her so pissed anymore.

"Ellen."

She turned around, still glaring fiercely.

"This is my fault, okay? I lied to you, and I'm sorry. But Jo did good out there. I think her dad would be proud-"

"Don't you dare say that. Not you," Ellen cut in, eyes flashing dangerously. Dean's mouth shut instantly; no point in bringing more wrath down on himself than he was already due.

"I need a moment with my daughter. Alone," she continued, turning away; an obvious dismissal. He heard Sam move toward the door, and every self-preservation instinct he had ever listened to told him to follow his brother's example.

"No."

What the hell was he doing? his mind screamed at him, all sense begging him to flee as Ellen rounded back on him, surprise immediately followed by fury flashing across her features. He knew this would not end well; a pissed-off Ellen scared Dean far more than the evils he faced down on a regular basis, but somehow, obscurely, he knew that leaving now was wrong. And something in him did not hold to that.

"What did you just say to me?"

"I said no."

Ellen stormed up to him, stopping inches away from his face. Miraculously, Dean found himself standing his ground; surely he was insane, but Jo had proven reliable, if still a bit naive, and damned if he was going to abandon her here. Might well be the death of him, though, if her mother's expression was any indication.

"Where the hell do you get off, talking to me like that, boy? You lie to me, you put Jo at risk- for Chrissakes, you used her as bait!"

"That was her idea."

"She is my daughter!" Ellen hollered.

"She's William's daughter too!" Dean thundered.

CRACK!

To this day, he isn't sure if the sound originated from his jaw, or Ellen's knuckles. Either way, that friggen hurt!

"You son of a bitch," Ellen whispered, rage tainting her voice even as tears prickled her eyes.

Dean met her gaze squarely.

"I'm sorry for his death, and I'm sorry for however Dad hurt you, but that ain't us, and it ain't her either!" he said, indicating Jo briefly. "She wanted this life. All to be closer to her father! How could we not help? How could I not help?" he finished, damning his voice for breaking at that last part.

Ellen looked into Dean's eyes long and hard, anger warring with understanding in her features. Finally, she spoke.

"Goddamn, you just don't know when to quit, do ya?"

Winchester family trait, Dean though half-seriously.

Sam stood at the door, shock etched on his features. His brother, who had openly admitted to being terrified of Jo's mother, was now standing his ground against her, not even backing down when she slugged him. Now, Dean was no coward, but he had a history of avoidance when it came to women. And even Sam, who had a stubborn streak a mile wide, would think twice before arguing with Ellen Harvelle; and each time, he'd back off, not being nearly suicidal enough to pick that fight. Yet here his brother was, refusing to back off even when all common sense would tell anyone to haul ass, preferably in the other direction.

Sam idly wished he had a camera, then dismissed the thought.

Ellen led them to the bar, pulling out whiskey and four shot glasses. She passed them around, and drank from hers. Jo passed Dean a bag of ice, which he accepted with a nod and pressed gingerly to his jaw, which was starting to show some very pretty shades of purple.

Ellen downed another shot, then began to speak, voice low and calm, as though she were girding herself for a praticularly painful tale. As it turns out, this wasn't far off the mark. She told them about William's last hunt, and about how John had offered to help him out. Their plan had been to use Will as bait, and John had wound up jumping the gun, inadvertently causing William's death. Jo had looked shaken by the story; Dean had looked like he wanted to comfort her for a moment, but seemed to think better of it.

Finishing her tale Ellen hung her head for a moment, and Sam was about to apologize for the incident when she spoke again, angry once more.

"If I ever find out that you two use her for bait again, you will not breathe past the next second I see you."

Dean frowned, and Sam spoke up. "Um, and what makes you think that we'd be stupid enough to let that happen?"

"Because she'll be going with you."

Silence, then-

"Come again?"

Ellen locked eyes with Dean once more, and her voice made it quite clear that she would brook no arguments this time.

"You believe that she'd make such a good hunter? Then you're gonna be the ones who'll watch her do it. You two know the whole story about what happened to my Bill," here she paused, eyes closed as though gathering her strength, "and, quite frankly, you're the only ones I trust to do half a decent job. I know a lot of other hunters out there, and she's better off with you than with any one of them. It's not like I could stop her if she wanted to leave anyway; at least this way, she can say goodbye first."

Jo looked up sharply, meeting Ellens now-fond gaze.

"Wha-"

"I know what it's like, Joanna Beth. You gotta do what you gotta do. And as long as you're with these two morons-"

Here she looked at the brothers sternly, although a smile tugged at her lips.

"-then at least I know you're in good hands."

"Y-you're not upset? Not worried?

"I'm your mother, hon. I'm always going to worry. So," here she walked around the bar and enveloped her daughter in a hug, "make sure you call often, k?"

"O-okay."

She then walked behind Sam and Dean and cuffed them both upside the head. Hard.

"OW!"

"And that goes for both of you, too! Damned if I'm waiting around here for both of you to go and get yourself killed and I don't get a call!"

"Yes, ma'm.

"Yeah, got it."

A door opened near the back and a mulleted head popped out.

"Heya, Ellen, do you think I could-"

A shot glass hit the wall next to him, and with a muttered curse he drew back inside and slammed the door. Both the boys looked at Ellen quizically. She shrugged.

"Cut him off from all our booze for a week. You're all idiots, but I expected better from him."

Jo stifled a giggle, as Dean shook his head. No, really; he had to have lost his mind, picking a fight with Ellen. There was just no other way to explain it.

A/N: Wow, It's been a while.

Not terribly certain where this Idea came from. I was just watching No Exit, and my Muse decided to hijack my mind for a while.

Oh, well.

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