even dead girls need birthday plans [ota]

[buy_me_dinner]

Jo was in a relatively good mood despite the fact that she was now a year older.  She wasn't quite sure if she still got to celebrate birthdays after dying but it seemed stupid to ignore the day that she had been born.  Not that she had any real idea what it was that she wanted to do today but she figured she should at least do something

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[winchester_john]

He knew he wasn't dead, but he sure as hell felt like he was. Heaven couldn't get much better.

His leg was doing worlds better, so much so he wasn't even limping much. It still pained him a little from time to time, and cramped in cold weather, but he was getting old and he had been shot. His sons were alive and well, and Mary...well, he could barely think of that. Just being with her was more than he could stand sometimes, in the very best of ways.

He was smiling to himself, a rare occurrence, as he ambled down the street hoping to find a cup of coffee somewhere. John had almost forgotten what a good mood felt like...now he was in the thick of one, and it was great. He paused on the sidewalk to rub a building stitch out of his thigh by digging a knuckle into the cramping muscle on the front of his leg when he spotted a pretty young blonde eyeing a store window while idly sipping a slushie...a picture and a half for a picture perfect day.

"Go for it." he finally remarked with a grin, his good humor finally spilling over. When she looked over, he nodded to the window. "Whatever you're thinking of? Go for it. It's a beautiful day...splurge a little."

[buy_me_dinner]

Jo glanced over at the encouraging voice and then she chuckled as she turned back to eye the skirt that was on display. Skirts weren't normally her style but it helped that it was denim and it would look rather cute with the top that Ramona had gotten her. Plus she was pretty sure she could find someone who would appreciate seeing her in a skirt.

"It really is, isn't it?" She nodded, glancing back at him with a bright smile. There was something familiar about him, something that nagged at her consciousness, but she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"Skirts aren't usually my style but I'm thinking of making an exception." She eyed the skirt again.

[winchester_john]

"Don't take this the wrong way, I'm a married man with kids of my own, but from here? You got the legs to pull it off." he offered as a compliment, laughing a little as he leaned against the wall of the store she was looking into, adding more pressure to his leg to try and ease the cramp. Finding that worked better than trying to work it out by hand, he kept it steady as he folded his arms comfortably.

"Bet you got yourself a nice boy that'd enjoy it, too."

[buy_me_dinner]

"Well, it's pretty hard to take a compliment like that the wrong way." She chuckled, glancing down at her legs in consideration. She knew she had nice legs though, which made the idea of a skirt all the more tempting.

"I might know someone who would enjoy it." She admitted with a pleased little nod. "Of course, I work in a bar. So it could be good for tips too."

[winchester_john]

"See? Write it off come tax season." he joked, shifting to offer her his hand politely. "I'm John, by the way."

[buy_me_dinner]

John.

"I'll have to see if I can pass that by my mom." She chuckled, reaching for his hand. "I'm Jo. Nice to meet you."

[winchester_john]

Hearing the name brought an old face to mind, but John quickly pushed it away. It was probably because her smile brought Ellen so quickly to mind...God, how many years had it been since he thought about her?...

"Good to meet ya, Jo." he replied, shaking her hand warmly. "That short for...Jolene? Joanne?..."

[buy_me_dinner]

"It's short for Joanna Beth." She tilted her head, watching him. She still had the smile on her face but there was something curious in her gaze.

[winchester_john]

Now that name sent chills up his spine, and with the way she was looking at him...

He showed no reaction, kept the friendly, charming smile in place as he absently rubbed his sore leg.

"Well...now that's a bit of deja-vu." he mused aloud. "Old friend of mine had a little girl he gave that name."

[buy_me_dinner]

There was no real doubt in her mind anymore as to who she was talking to and she felt a bit of blood drain out of her face as he commented on having an old friend who had a little girl with her name.

"My Dad had an old...partner named John." It felt somewhat wrong to say 'friend', especially if this was the man who had killed her dad.

[winchester_john]

The friendly smile slowly drained away from his features as the truth hit him too had to ignore another second. Regret and shock pulled together in his eyes as he let out a soft huff and shook his head just a little.

"Jesus...it's you." He swallowed thickly, forcing himself to meet her gaze. "Last time I saw you, think you were still in pigtails."

[buy_me_dinner]

"Probably." Mom had said that John never really came back to the Roadhouse after her dad had died.

She pressed her lips together, feeling somewhat uneasy and uncertain of herself now. "I...Dean and Sam look like you." That was why she had gotten a sense of recognition when she had first seen him.

[winchester_john]

John had no idea what to say...no way to know what Ellen had told her, or how to explain what he'd done, until she spoke and startled him into action.

"You know my boys?"

[buy_me_dinner]

"Yeah, met them awhile ago when they came to the bar." She nodded, pausing before continuing to explain. "My mother and I are hunters."

[winchester_john]

While that didn't much surprise him, knowing Ellen Harvelle, he was saddened that Jo had found her way to that.

It was a long moment before the reality of his situation crept up on him, and a horrible thought entered his head as he blinked and frowned.

"Your...your momma, is she here?"

[buy_me_dinner]

Instantly she was wary. "She is." She didn't know how her mom would react to John. She had tried calling him before, which was how they had met the boys, but still...

"She runs a bar here. Bobby is here too."