Not Going Home - HL/SPN - (1/2)
No Spawn fic today instead I promised Dragonsinger Richie/Jo for her birthday. Happy Birthday!!!
Title: Not Going Home(1/2)
Author: strangevisitor7
Beta: Clarksmuse & idontlikegravy
Rated: PG
Prompt: #32 Sunset for crossovers100 my table is here
Fandom: Highlander & Supernatural. Part of the Immortal!Dean Universe..
Characters: Richie Ryan, Bobby Singer, Jo Harvelle, Ellen Harvelle. Richie/Jo
Disclaimer: The characters you know and love all belong to their respective creators.
Summary: When Bobby can’t track down the Winchesters, Richie agrees to help him out on a hunt. Richie doesn’t count on having to deal with Ellen’s wayward daughter Jo.
A/N: In the Immortal!Dean Universe this story takes place when Duncan and the Winchesters are in New York during The Space She Invades.
Not Going Home: Part 1
As he drew closer to his destination, Richie couldn’t contain his excitement. Vampires. He was going to help Bobby hunt down real vampires. He knew that the hunter had called looking for the Winchesters, but had settled for letting the newbie tag along when the brothers were unavailable.
It was just after sundown when he spotted Bobby’s Chevelle in the parking lot of the rundown roadside motel. Pulling into the nearly empty parking lot, he wondered if owning a muscle car was a necessary part of the hunter’s tool box. If so, then he’d never be a proper hunter. He would always prefer a bike over a car but, with his current baby out of commission for the moment, borrowing the T’bird had been his only way of getting to this podunk Idaho town.
That was another thing he noticed. Small towns seemed to be the focus for so many of the things that hunters chased. Sandpoint, Idaho couldn’t have more than 6,000 citizens, yet the vampires had decided it was the right place for a nest.
Still, the scenery was amazing and there were tourist vacation spots all over this part of the state. Richie figured preying on a transient population helped them stay under the locals’ radar.
Richie got out of the car and grabbed his bag from the trunk before approaching the dilapidated door to room #9.
He knocked and waited. He could hear movement inside before a gruff voice called out, “Who’s there?”
“Hey Bobby. It’s Richie.” When the door didn’t open right away, he added, “You didn’t say anything about needing a secret password to get in.”
The door opened on a smiling Bobby, who looked down at the salt line across the floor and moved aside to let the young Immortal into the motel room. “Glad you could make it, Rich.”
“Good to see you too,” Richie laughed as he made a dramatic gesture of stepping across the protective barrier.
Once inside, Richie’s gaze was immediately drawn to a pretty blond woman, clad in jeans and a striped shirt, lying on the far bed. While he was surprised that Bobby had company, it was the fact that she was handcuffed to the bed that really got his attention. “Am I interrupting something here, Bobby?” Richie was embarrassed to think what they might have been doing before he arrived.
The old hunter scoffed. “Just trying to keep a wildcat under control. Richie Ryan, meet Jo Harvelle.”
Wide-eyed, Richie turned to examine the daughter he’d heard Ellen speak of a few times but always with a sense of sadness. Jo wore a look of exasperation on her face but was doing her best to ignore the men.
“Mind explaining why you’ve got her tied up on your bed?”
“Foolish girl wanted to take out the nest herself. Damn good thing I saw her first,” Bobby said. “She couldn’t get the drop on a bucket of kittens.”
“Now wait a minute,” Jo said finally acknowledging them. “I was being friendly letting you know I was in town. You didn’t have to chain me up.” She yanked on the handcuffs for emphasis.
Wordlessly, Richie held out his hand to Bobby who dropped the key into his palm.
Richie sent Jo his friendliest smile as he walked over to unlock the handcuffs.
“Nice to finally meet you,” he said, trying to break through the anger that was coming off her in waves. He sat down on the other bed. “I’ve heard about you from your mother.”
Rubbing her newly released wrist, Jo looked Richie up and down with disdain.
“We were waiting for him?” she asked Bobby, incredulous. “This is your back-up? Some young kid sent by my mother.”
When Bobby nodded, she turned her focus to Richie. “If Mom expects you to help him drag me back to South Dakota, she’s going to be disappointed.”
Richie put a lid on his anger. He wasn’t in the mood for the ‘I’m older than I look’ conversation. Instead, he felt the need to defend Ellen and all that Jo had put her through. “You mother cares about you,” he barked, “and you can’t even take the time to let her know you’re still alive, or care enough to find out where she’s living now.”
Jo swung her legs off the bed to face Richie. “It’s none of your business,” she shouted, pointing a finger in Richie face.
He grabbed the offending digit and held it tightly. “It’s my business because she’s my friend, and I don’t like to see her upset.”
Jo tugged, finally releasing her hand from his grasp, and studied Richie. Her eyes went wide and her face screwed up in disgust. “Ew, you and my mother are ‘friends’. She’s like twice your age.”
“Whoa,” Richie protested. “Not that kind of friend.”
“Then how would someone your age be friends with my Mom? What are you, seventeen?” Jo asked.
“I’m thirty-five,” Richie snapped. He really hated his Immortality sometimes.
“Yeah right, and I’m Wonder Woman.” Jo stopped as she caught a wayward thought and looked at the older hunter. “Mom’s not living with you anymore, Bobby?”
Bobby had been trying to blend into the wall while the two had gone at it and showed no desire to join the conversation. He nodded toward Richie, indicating he should take that one.
“She’s been living in Seacouver, Washington ever since she became Dean’s Watcher,” Richie explained curtly and then decided to dump the entire story on her. “In fact, she’s been living with a friend of mine, Joe Dawson. And you’ll be relieved to know he’s older than your mom. You might be getting yourself a step-dad after all.”
Behind him, Richie heard Bobby let out a subdued chuckle, indicating that Richie had stepped in it but good.
All the color drained out of Jo’s face, and Richie thought maybe taunting her with Joe hadn’t been the nicest thing to do.
“I’m sorry, I just thought you might want to know -” Richie stopped as he studied the confused look on her face. “What is it?”
“Dean’s alive?” she asked quietly. The hope in her voice, betraying an affection for Dean that Richie had heard many times before. Guy wasn’t even here and he still got the girl’s attention. “And what does that mean that Mom’s his Watcher?” she continued. “Is there something wrong with him? Is that why she moved?”
Now, it was Richie turn to be confused. “Dean’s fine, but don’t you know what happened?”
She shook her head.
Richie turned to Bobby. “You didn’t tell her about us?”
“What do I look like, the Hunter’s Gazette?” Bobby said. “You want to hurry up and finish the little history lesson so we can get some sleep. We’ve got a hunt in the morning, remember?”
“Us?” Jo asked. “You and Dean?” The way she asked it made Richie groan.
“Jeez, Jo, why would you think that? First your mom, now Dean. Do I look like I need to get laid that badly?” Richie bit his lip as the embarrassing words left his mouth.
Jo looked at him and started to giggle which despite her best efforts turned into a belly laugh. “I’m sorry I just - The way you said us - I didn’t know what to think.” The laughter was making her words come out in gasps.
It was infectious and Richie found himself joining in. “Kind of ridiculous to think of Dean that way.”
“I know,” she said still amused. “I mean, no offense, but you’re not really his type.”
Richie caught his breath, as the way she phrased her reply gave him pause. “You don’t think I’m - I am not gay,” he insisted.
Jo looked at him and burst out laughing again. This time Bobby joined her. “Not funny guys, seriously.” Richie’s insistence just sent their amusement into high gear. “Bobby, stop laughing and help me out here!”
“Hell no, I haven’t found anything this funny since Duncan was first training Dean and put him on his ass ten times in two minutes.”
Richie smiled. “That was hilarious.”
Jo finally got her laughter under control as she looked between the two men. “Okay, can we put the discussion of Richie’s questionable sexual history aside for the moment-”
“Hey!” Richie interjected as Jo finished.
“- because I still don’t know what happened to Dean. And who the hell is Duncan?” she demanded.
Richie ignored her as he moved fully onto the bed, arms crossed as he relaxed against the head board.
“Bobby?” she asked.
The old hunter shook his head. “I need something outta the trunk,” he said. “’Sides Richie knows all the players better ‘n I do.”
Richie glared at Bobby’s retreating back. “Thanks for the support, old man.”
Bobby snorted as he snicked the door shut behind him.
Richie understood why Bobby had left. If the three were going hunting tomorrow, they needed to work as a unit, so he and Jo needed to learn to trust each other quickly. Still, he wasn’t looking forward to spending any more time with the hellcat - Bobby had got that right - than he had to.
“Richie,” Jo said, her voice hard and demanding.
Richie studied the blonde. “I’ll tell you everything, but then you have to promise to come to Seacouver and see your mom when this hunt is finished.”
“No way! Forget it,” she said and mirrored his position of defiance on her own bed. “I’ll find out what happened on my own. Thanks for nothing.”
“Okay, suit yourself,” he said and rose from the bed to grab the handcuffs off the nightstand. In one swift motion, he had Jo chained to the bed again.
“What the hell?” She snapped as she yanked on the cuffs. “What’s the big idea?”
“No visit. No hunt,” he said and headed for the door.
“That’s blackmail!”
Richie paused and turned toward her. He made an exaggerated motion of thinking about what she’d said. “You’re right, it is,” he smirked as he reached for the door knob.
********************************
Richie found Bobby outside leaning against the Chevelle.
“She chase you out?” he chuckled.
“She’s so infuriating that you want to just-” Richie clenched his fists in a gesture of frustration.
“Smack her,” Bobby said finishing his thought.
Laughing, he nodded. “Exactly.”
“Guessing you locked her back up.”
“Had to. We can’t risk her trying to go it alone on this hunt.”
“Tell her about Immortals?”
“Won’t, not until I’m sure she’ll cooperate.” Richie sighed. “You call Ellen; let her know you found Jo?”
Bobby shook his head.
“Why not?”
“I didn’t want to get her hopes up that we might bring Jo home.”
“She deserves to know that Jo’s okay.”
“Telling Ellen that Jo is here is just gonna open up a can of hurt. Truthfully, I’m not in the mood to deal with all the crap that went down between the two of them,” Bobby admitted.
“Chicken,” Richie quipped.
“Yep.”
“Fine, I’ll do it.” He flipped open his phone and dialed the bar.
“Hey Mom,” Richie said brightly as the female voice answered the call.
“Richie,” she replied and he could hear the smile in her voice.
He’d taken to jokingly calling Ellen ‘Mom’ ever since she decided it was her job to mother him through his last year of college. She’d never told him to stop it and he enjoyed the implication the title engendered. He didn’t understand why Jo rebelled against such attention, Ellen had been very good to him.
“Just wanted to let you know I made it here and Bobby says ‘Hi’.”
“Thanks, Richie. Make sure you watch his back.”
“I’m on it.” He paused before blurting out the real reason for the call. “Ellen you should know that Jo’s here.”
“Jo?” She repeated after a moment, her voice sounded so small through the phone.
“Bobby stopped her from doing anything stupid, and I promise when this is over I‘ll bring her home.”
“Richie, I know you mean well-” Her voice trailed into silence.
“I’m irresistible; you know that,” he said, trying to lighten her mood. “After a few days with me she’ll want to.” He didn’t get the chuckle from her he’d hoped.
The sadness in Ellen's voice told him that she wasn’t optimistic that he could change Jo’s mind. “Promise me you’ll keep her safe.”
“Sure, Ellen. You know I will.” He didn’t push for more, but he’d made a promise and he intended to keep it. They exchanged goodbyes and Richie closed the phone.
“Well that went well,” Richie grimaced. It bothered him more than he’d expected to hear Ellen so sad.
“Don’t get involved in what you can’t change,” Bobby said noticing the defeated look on Richie’s face.
“I’ll get that blond bi -” he paused and switched his phrasing when he noticed Bobby’s frown. “Leave it to me. I’ll get her to come home.” He was angry now and Jo was going to listen.
“Sure you will, kid,” Bobby said without conviction.
************************************
Jo sat fuming on the bed. Who the hell was that guy, to tell her what she had to do? Mom had told her if she was going to hunt to not come back, and that’s exactly what she’d done. Jo didn’t see how it was her responsibility to go crawling back.
She yanked at the cuffs, but it was a futile gesture. Resigned to her fate, she lay back down and waited for her captors to come to their senses. They couldn’t keep her locked up forever.
As she lay there, she replayed the conversation with Richie in her head. Damn, she was curious. What had happened to Dean and to the kid that had sent her mother to some small town in Washington?
It’s not like she was still hung up on Dean. She searched her feelings. No, she was sure she was over him, but she was concerned in the way any friend would be and she had a right to know what was going on.
Reluctantly, Jo realized that unless she cooperated, Richie wasn’t going to tell her anything. Bobby had already shown he wasn’t going to be any help.
Jo decided she had to play along. She could agree to visit her mom, but that didn’t mean she actually would. Short of tying her up and throwing her in the trunk, there was no was she was setting foot in Seacouver.
The door opened and Richie came back in. She studied him. Thirty-five, she snorted. Who was he kidding?
Without a word, Richie grabbed a few things and headed into the bathroom. Bobby entered a moment later with a bedroll. Leaving it on the dresser, the hunter stretched out on the other bed and promptly fell aleep.
Jo sat silently on the bed, contemplating what her next move should be.
When Richie came out, he was wearing a muscle shirt and sweats, his hair was still damp from the shower. Jo studied the youth, trying to determine how best to get back into his good graces. He wasn’t bad looking and she couldn’t help but notice how well toned he was; his arms practically rippled with muscles. He definitely worked out, a lot.
Jo smiled to herself. Maybe a little harmless flirting would do the trick; most teenage boy were idiots when it came to that kind of attention. Jo looked away when he’d turned sensing her eyes on him. Ignoring her, Richie picked up the bedroll and spread it out on the floor.
As neither man had spoken a word to her, Jo began to accept that she was going to have to be the one to break the silence.
“Richie,” she said.
He looked at her but said nothing.
“Fine, you’re not talking to me. I get it,” she sighed, “but could you release me so I can use the bathroom?”
Silently, Richie walked over and unlocked the cuffs.
*************************************
He was waiting at the door when she emerged fifteen minutes later. He held up the cuffs and nodded toward the bed.
“No!” Jo snapped. “I swear I won’t run after the vamps, but you are not cuffing me to the bed all night.”
He studied her, his blue eyes unnerving as he evaluated her words. “Okay,” he said.
She walked back to the bed but could feel his eyes on her the whole time. When Jo finally turned to stare back, he was busy moving the bedroll in front of the door. So much for trust, she thought.
She kicked off her shoes and lay on top of the blanket. She watched him fumble with the bedroll. “Richie,” she called out.
“Yes, Jo?” There was a sense of ‘what now’ in his voice as he turned to stare at her again with those blue eyes.
“You don’t have to sleep on the floor. We’re both adults and fully clothed so - ” She stopped, hoping he’d get the hint, but he just stood there watching her, forcing her to voice the invitation. “You could sleep over here.”
She didn’t know why she’d made the offer; it certainly went beyond the harmless flirting she had envisioned to win him over. Maybe it was simply to get him away from the door so she could sneak out during the night. Deep down inside, she just didn’t like the judgmental way he’d been staring and wanted to prove she wasn’t completely heartless.
His eyes flicked to Bobby who was sprawled snoring on the other bed, and then down at the bedroll. He looked back at her and then smiled. Jo was taking aback by how genuine it was and couldn’t help but smile back.
“Thanks, Jo. This bed roll isn’t my idea of a good nights rest before a hunt,” he said, continuing to send her that blinding smile that made her stomach flutter in a way with which she was unfamiliar.
She watched as he situated himself on his side of the bed, back to her. She found herself staring at the muscles of his shoulders.
“Get the light Jo,” he said without turning over.
“Right, sorry.” She tore her eyes away and flicked out the light on the night stand before settling in, her back to him.
**********************************************
The next morning, Richie woke slowly and found he couldn’t move his right arm. Without opening his eyes, he rolled toward the weight pressed into his side, he embraced it, and the warmth responded by snuggling closer. Simultaneously, their eyes flew open and grew wide with panic as their brains registered the embrace. They pushed hurriedly away from each other and in similar motions jumped off the bed. Without a word, Jo fled into the bathroom.
Richie heard the sound of chuckling and looked up to see Bobby relaxing on the opposite bed.
“Well, that was worth the wait,” he said as he stood and headed for the door. “I’m off to get coffee. Be ready to go when I get back.”
“Wait Bobby, you can’t leave me here alone with - ” He pointed to the bathroom.
“What, now you’re afraid of her?” Bobby laughed without sympathy and exited the room.
“Gee, thanks for nothing, Bobby,” he mumbled at the closed door.
Jo had shown herself to be marginally tolerable last night. He thought he might actually be able to endure her for a few days but now he was sure she’d eventually be accusing him of taking advantage of her somehow.
Great, just great. Richie dragged a hand through his hair and went to grab some clothes for the day.
“Can you hand me my bag?” came Jo’s voice from behind the bathroom door. Her hand snaked out and she waggled her fingers at him. “Hello out there. My bag please.”
Richie sighed. “Coming.” He grabbed the duffle from the dresser and walked to the bathroom. He was about to place the bag in Jo’s outstretched hand when he caught a glimpse of her in the mirror though the opening. She was standing there in just her panties, and Richie found himself staring.
“Richie?” came the questioning voice, and then in the mirror her eyes locked with his. She had a look of panic on her face as she slammed the door shut. “Just leave it,” she barked.
Richie nodded to the closed door, still too stunned to say anything and dropped the bag on the floor. He retreated to the other side of the room, heard the door open and the bag disappear inside.
He literally smacked himself on the head. Stupid, so very stupid and yet there was a part of him that was enjoying the memory of what he’d seen. As a smile crept across his face, the sensible part of his brain shouted, NO! and clamped down on the memory.
By the time Jo emerged from the bathroom, Richie was dressed, in jeans and a black t-shirt, sitting on the bed. He watched her repack her duffle and couldn’t help but notice how well she filled her jeans, or how when she bent over her top rode up revealing the small of her back.
Richie swallowed and mentally smacked himself again. This was Ellen’s ungrateful daughter, he reminded himself. She’d called him names and been all kinds of rude to him. Miserable, he dropped his head in his hands. Too bad his upstairs brain had now registered that she was very hot because his downstairs brain wasn’t about to let him forget it.
Richie decided it was best to apologize and begin repairing what little communication they had previously established if they were going to hunt together.
“Jo,” he called as he rose from the bed and walked half the distance between them.
She turned from where she’d been ignoring him, busily packing and repacking her duffle. “What?” she snapped.
Ouch. She wasn’t gong to make this easy, not that he blamed her. “I’m sorry about that,” he said lamely as he gestured to the bathroom.
She went from glaring at him to furious in the blink of an eye.
“You’re sorry!” she shouted. “You’re a creep. First you paw at me in the bed and then you play peeping Tom in the bathroom, and all you have to say is ‘sorry’.”
Obviously, apologizing was the wrong move, so Richie decided that the best defense was a good offense. He stepped closer to her, meeting her anger with his own. “I seem to recall that you were the one snuggling me.”
“No! You were the one,” she said, pointing a determined finger in his face as she stepped closer, “who took advantage of my platonic invitation to cop a feel.”
Looking down at her, he was very much aware that there was very little space between them, especially since she was leaning in to poke him in the chest. His brain rebelled at the thought that her close proximately was desirable. “Sweetheart, you’ve got nothing I want to feel,” he verbally smacked her.
“Oooh,” she huffed in frustration, her fists balled at her side. “You - You are unbelievable.” Jo was vibrating with rage. “If that’s the case, why did you take such a long look?” she countered finally.
Richie was not going to be the only one here accused of taking advantage of the situation.
“It’s clear to me that you wanted me to look,” he said. “You could have used a towel and gotten that bag yourself.”
“I did not. I mistakenly thought you were a gentleman. Obviously, I was wrong. You are a Neanderthal.”
“I got the impression you liked Neanderthals. Isn’t that why you’re hung up on Dean?”
Her eyes grew cold and Richie registered that he’d crossed a line he didn’t know was there.
She slapped him, hard. “Asshole!” And before Richie could react, she’d stormed away and shut herself into the bathroom.
Richie reached up to massage his jaw. He’d turned off his brain-to-mouth filter at some point during the argument, and he’d really stepped in it this time. Of course, Mac would say he never had one. Still, he’d like to think he’d progressed beyond the hot headed youth he’d been in his twenties but apparently not.
If she really was hung up on Dean, her violent response only confirmed that Dean did not share her feelings. He’d heard Dean mention Jo once or twice, but always the way a brother might talk about an annoying kid sister.
Richie approached the bathroom and resigned himself to apologizing once again. One of them had to be the adult.
“Jo,” he said tentatively as he knocked on the bathroom door. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”
He girded himself for more of her anger but there was no response.
“Jo?”
“You’re wrong. I’m not hung up on Dean.” Her voice was so low that if he hadn’t been leaning against the door he might have missed it.
“Jo, please come out and let’s talk about this.”
“Go away, Richie.” He voice sounded tired and it seemed all the fight had gone out of her.
Bobby chose that moment to reappear. He entered the hotel room, coffee tray and box of donuts balanced in one hand, with one of the pastries dangling from his mouth, as he returned the hotel room key to his pocket. Removing the half-eaten donut, he nodded his approval that Richie seemed ready to go. “Jo still in the bathroom?”
When Richie nodded, he dropped his breakfast purchases on the hotel room table and marched over to the bathroom door muttering, “Girl wants to hunt but can’t be ready on time.”
He banged on the door. “Now, Jo. We leave as soon as I finish this donut,” he said, waving the last bit of his breakfast pastry at the door before popping it in his mouth.
The door to the bathroom opened and Jo came out. Her face was emotionless as she silently walked past the two men shouldered her weapons bag, grabbed a coffee, and headed out the door.
Bobby grunted his approval and did the same.
***************************************************
Concluded in Part 2
.
Title: Not Going Home(1/2)
Author: strangevisitor7
Beta: Clarksmuse & idontlikegravy
Rated: PG
Prompt: #32 Sunset for crossovers100 my table is here
Fandom: Highlander & Supernatural. Part of the Immortal!Dean Universe..
Characters: Richie Ryan, Bobby Singer, Jo Harvelle, Ellen Harvelle. Richie/Jo
Disclaimer: The characters you know and love all belong to their respective creators.
Summary: When Bobby can’t track down the Winchesters, Richie agrees to help him out on a hunt. Richie doesn’t count on having to deal with Ellen’s wayward daughter Jo.
A/N: In the Immortal!Dean Universe this story takes place when Duncan and the Winchesters are in New York during The Space She Invades.
Not Going Home: Part 1
As he drew closer to his destination, Richie couldn’t contain his excitement. Vampires. He was going to help Bobby hunt down real vampires. He knew that the hunter had called looking for the Winchesters, but had settled for letting the newbie tag along when the brothers were unavailable.
It was just after sundown when he spotted Bobby’s Chevelle in the parking lot of the rundown roadside motel. Pulling into the nearly empty parking lot, he wondered if owning a muscle car was a necessary part of the hunter’s tool box. If so, then he’d never be a proper hunter. He would always prefer a bike over a car but, with his current baby out of commission for the moment, borrowing the T’bird had been his only way of getting to this podunk Idaho town.
That was another thing he noticed. Small towns seemed to be the focus for so many of the things that hunters chased. Sandpoint, Idaho couldn’t have more than 6,000 citizens, yet the vampires had decided it was the right place for a nest.
Still, the scenery was amazing and there were tourist vacation spots all over this part of the state. Richie figured preying on a transient population helped them stay under the locals’ radar.
Richie got out of the car and grabbed his bag from the trunk before approaching the dilapidated door to room #9.
He knocked and waited. He could hear movement inside before a gruff voice called out, “Who’s there?”
“Hey Bobby. It’s Richie.” When the door didn’t open right away, he added, “You didn’t say anything about needing a secret password to get in.”
The door opened on a smiling Bobby, who looked down at the salt line across the floor and moved aside to let the young Immortal into the motel room. “Glad you could make it, Rich.”
“Good to see you too,” Richie laughed as he made a dramatic gesture of stepping across the protective barrier.
Once inside, Richie’s gaze was immediately drawn to a pretty blond woman, clad in jeans and a striped shirt, lying on the far bed. While he was surprised that Bobby had company, it was the fact that she was handcuffed to the bed that really got his attention. “Am I interrupting something here, Bobby?” Richie was embarrassed to think what they might have been doing before he arrived.
The old hunter scoffed. “Just trying to keep a wildcat under control. Richie Ryan, meet Jo Harvelle.”
Wide-eyed, Richie turned to examine the daughter he’d heard Ellen speak of a few times but always with a sense of sadness. Jo wore a look of exasperation on her face but was doing her best to ignore the men.
“Mind explaining why you’ve got her tied up on your bed?”
“Foolish girl wanted to take out the nest herself. Damn good thing I saw her first,” Bobby said. “She couldn’t get the drop on a bucket of kittens.”
“Now wait a minute,” Jo said finally acknowledging them. “I was being friendly letting you know I was in town. You didn’t have to chain me up.” She yanked on the handcuffs for emphasis.
Wordlessly, Richie held out his hand to Bobby who dropped the key into his palm.
Richie sent Jo his friendliest smile as he walked over to unlock the handcuffs.
“Nice to finally meet you,” he said, trying to break through the anger that was coming off her in waves. He sat down on the other bed. “I’ve heard about you from your mother.”
Rubbing her newly released wrist, Jo looked Richie up and down with disdain.
“We were waiting for him?” she asked Bobby, incredulous. “This is your back-up? Some young kid sent by my mother.”
When Bobby nodded, she turned her focus to Richie. “If Mom expects you to help him drag me back to South Dakota, she’s going to be disappointed.”
Richie put a lid on his anger. He wasn’t in the mood for the ‘I’m older than I look’ conversation. Instead, he felt the need to defend Ellen and all that Jo had put her through. “You mother cares about you,” he barked, “and you can’t even take the time to let her know you’re still alive, or care enough to find out where she’s living now.”
Jo swung her legs off the bed to face Richie. “It’s none of your business,” she shouted, pointing a finger in Richie face.
He grabbed the offending digit and held it tightly. “It’s my business because she’s my friend, and I don’t like to see her upset.”
Jo tugged, finally releasing her hand from his grasp, and studied Richie. Her eyes went wide and her face screwed up in disgust. “Ew, you and my mother are ‘friends’. She’s like twice your age.”
“Whoa,” Richie protested. “Not that kind of friend.”
“Then how would someone your age be friends with my Mom? What are you, seventeen?” Jo asked.
“I’m thirty-five,” Richie snapped. He really hated his Immortality sometimes.
“Yeah right, and I’m Wonder Woman.” Jo stopped as she caught a wayward thought and looked at the older hunter. “Mom’s not living with you anymore, Bobby?”
Bobby had been trying to blend into the wall while the two had gone at it and showed no desire to join the conversation. He nodded toward Richie, indicating he should take that one.
“She’s been living in Seacouver, Washington ever since she became Dean’s Watcher,” Richie explained curtly and then decided to dump the entire story on her. “In fact, she’s been living with a friend of mine, Joe Dawson. And you’ll be relieved to know he’s older than your mom. You might be getting yourself a step-dad after all.”
Behind him, Richie heard Bobby let out a subdued chuckle, indicating that Richie had stepped in it but good.
All the color drained out of Jo’s face, and Richie thought maybe taunting her with Joe hadn’t been the nicest thing to do.
“I’m sorry, I just thought you might want to know -” Richie stopped as he studied the confused look on her face. “What is it?”
“Dean’s alive?” she asked quietly. The hope in her voice, betraying an affection for Dean that Richie had heard many times before. Guy wasn’t even here and he still got the girl’s attention. “And what does that mean that Mom’s his Watcher?” she continued. “Is there something wrong with him? Is that why she moved?”
Now, it was Richie turn to be confused. “Dean’s fine, but don’t you know what happened?”
She shook her head.
Richie turned to Bobby. “You didn’t tell her about us?”
“What do I look like, the Hunter’s Gazette?” Bobby said. “You want to hurry up and finish the little history lesson so we can get some sleep. We’ve got a hunt in the morning, remember?”
“Us?” Jo asked. “You and Dean?” The way she asked it made Richie groan.
“Jeez, Jo, why would you think that? First your mom, now Dean. Do I look like I need to get laid that badly?” Richie bit his lip as the embarrassing words left his mouth.
Jo looked at him and started to giggle which despite her best efforts turned into a belly laugh. “I’m sorry I just - The way you said us - I didn’t know what to think.” The laughter was making her words come out in gasps.
It was infectious and Richie found himself joining in. “Kind of ridiculous to think of Dean that way.”
“I know,” she said still amused. “I mean, no offense, but you’re not really his type.”
Richie caught his breath, as the way she phrased her reply gave him pause. “You don’t think I’m - I am not gay,” he insisted.
Jo looked at him and burst out laughing again. This time Bobby joined her. “Not funny guys, seriously.” Richie’s insistence just sent their amusement into high gear. “Bobby, stop laughing and help me out here!”
“Hell no, I haven’t found anything this funny since Duncan was first training Dean and put him on his ass ten times in two minutes.”
Richie smiled. “That was hilarious.”
Jo finally got her laughter under control as she looked between the two men. “Okay, can we put the discussion of Richie’s questionable sexual history aside for the moment-”
“Hey!” Richie interjected as Jo finished.
“- because I still don’t know what happened to Dean. And who the hell is Duncan?” she demanded.
Richie ignored her as he moved fully onto the bed, arms crossed as he relaxed against the head board.
“Bobby?” she asked.
The old hunter shook his head. “I need something outta the trunk,” he said. “’Sides Richie knows all the players better ‘n I do.”
Richie glared at Bobby’s retreating back. “Thanks for the support, old man.”
Bobby snorted as he snicked the door shut behind him.
Richie understood why Bobby had left. If the three were going hunting tomorrow, they needed to work as a unit, so he and Jo needed to learn to trust each other quickly. Still, he wasn’t looking forward to spending any more time with the hellcat - Bobby had got that right - than he had to.
“Richie,” Jo said, her voice hard and demanding.
Richie studied the blonde. “I’ll tell you everything, but then you have to promise to come to Seacouver and see your mom when this hunt is finished.”
“No way! Forget it,” she said and mirrored his position of defiance on her own bed. “I’ll find out what happened on my own. Thanks for nothing.”
“Okay, suit yourself,” he said and rose from the bed to grab the handcuffs off the nightstand. In one swift motion, he had Jo chained to the bed again.
“What the hell?” She snapped as she yanked on the cuffs. “What’s the big idea?”
“No visit. No hunt,” he said and headed for the door.
“That’s blackmail!”
Richie paused and turned toward her. He made an exaggerated motion of thinking about what she’d said. “You’re right, it is,” he smirked as he reached for the door knob.
********************************
Richie found Bobby outside leaning against the Chevelle.
“She chase you out?” he chuckled.
“She’s so infuriating that you want to just-” Richie clenched his fists in a gesture of frustration.
“Smack her,” Bobby said finishing his thought.
Laughing, he nodded. “Exactly.”
“Guessing you locked her back up.”
“Had to. We can’t risk her trying to go it alone on this hunt.”
“Tell her about Immortals?”
“Won’t, not until I’m sure she’ll cooperate.” Richie sighed. “You call Ellen; let her know you found Jo?”
Bobby shook his head.
“Why not?”
“I didn’t want to get her hopes up that we might bring Jo home.”
“She deserves to know that Jo’s okay.”
“Telling Ellen that Jo is here is just gonna open up a can of hurt. Truthfully, I’m not in the mood to deal with all the crap that went down between the two of them,” Bobby admitted.
“Chicken,” Richie quipped.
“Yep.”
“Fine, I’ll do it.” He flipped open his phone and dialed the bar.
“Hey Mom,” Richie said brightly as the female voice answered the call.
“Richie,” she replied and he could hear the smile in her voice.
He’d taken to jokingly calling Ellen ‘Mom’ ever since she decided it was her job to mother him through his last year of college. She’d never told him to stop it and he enjoyed the implication the title engendered. He didn’t understand why Jo rebelled against such attention, Ellen had been very good to him.
“Just wanted to let you know I made it here and Bobby says ‘Hi’.”
“Thanks, Richie. Make sure you watch his back.”
“I’m on it.” He paused before blurting out the real reason for the call. “Ellen you should know that Jo’s here.”
“Jo?” She repeated after a moment, her voice sounded so small through the phone.
“Bobby stopped her from doing anything stupid, and I promise when this is over I‘ll bring her home.”
“Richie, I know you mean well-” Her voice trailed into silence.
“I’m irresistible; you know that,” he said, trying to lighten her mood. “After a few days with me she’ll want to.” He didn’t get the chuckle from her he’d hoped.
The sadness in Ellen's voice told him that she wasn’t optimistic that he could change Jo’s mind. “Promise me you’ll keep her safe.”
“Sure, Ellen. You know I will.” He didn’t push for more, but he’d made a promise and he intended to keep it. They exchanged goodbyes and Richie closed the phone.
“Well that went well,” Richie grimaced. It bothered him more than he’d expected to hear Ellen so sad.
“Don’t get involved in what you can’t change,” Bobby said noticing the defeated look on Richie’s face.
“I’ll get that blond bi -” he paused and switched his phrasing when he noticed Bobby’s frown. “Leave it to me. I’ll get her to come home.” He was angry now and Jo was going to listen.
“Sure you will, kid,” Bobby said without conviction.
************************************
Jo sat fuming on the bed. Who the hell was that guy, to tell her what she had to do? Mom had told her if she was going to hunt to not come back, and that’s exactly what she’d done. Jo didn’t see how it was her responsibility to go crawling back.
She yanked at the cuffs, but it was a futile gesture. Resigned to her fate, she lay back down and waited for her captors to come to their senses. They couldn’t keep her locked up forever.
As she lay there, she replayed the conversation with Richie in her head. Damn, she was curious. What had happened to Dean and to the kid that had sent her mother to some small town in Washington?
It’s not like she was still hung up on Dean. She searched her feelings. No, she was sure she was over him, but she was concerned in the way any friend would be and she had a right to know what was going on.
Reluctantly, Jo realized that unless she cooperated, Richie wasn’t going to tell her anything. Bobby had already shown he wasn’t going to be any help.
Jo decided she had to play along. She could agree to visit her mom, but that didn’t mean she actually would. Short of tying her up and throwing her in the trunk, there was no was she was setting foot in Seacouver.
The door opened and Richie came back in. She studied him. Thirty-five, she snorted. Who was he kidding?
Without a word, Richie grabbed a few things and headed into the bathroom. Bobby entered a moment later with a bedroll. Leaving it on the dresser, the hunter stretched out on the other bed and promptly fell aleep.
Jo sat silently on the bed, contemplating what her next move should be.
When Richie came out, he was wearing a muscle shirt and sweats, his hair was still damp from the shower. Jo studied the youth, trying to determine how best to get back into his good graces. He wasn’t bad looking and she couldn’t help but notice how well toned he was; his arms practically rippled with muscles. He definitely worked out, a lot.
Jo smiled to herself. Maybe a little harmless flirting would do the trick; most teenage boy were idiots when it came to that kind of attention. Jo looked away when he’d turned sensing her eyes on him. Ignoring her, Richie picked up the bedroll and spread it out on the floor.
As neither man had spoken a word to her, Jo began to accept that she was going to have to be the one to break the silence.
“Richie,” she said.
He looked at her but said nothing.
“Fine, you’re not talking to me. I get it,” she sighed, “but could you release me so I can use the bathroom?”
Silently, Richie walked over and unlocked the cuffs.
*************************************
He was waiting at the door when she emerged fifteen minutes later. He held up the cuffs and nodded toward the bed.
“No!” Jo snapped. “I swear I won’t run after the vamps, but you are not cuffing me to the bed all night.”
He studied her, his blue eyes unnerving as he evaluated her words. “Okay,” he said.
She walked back to the bed but could feel his eyes on her the whole time. When Jo finally turned to stare back, he was busy moving the bedroll in front of the door. So much for trust, she thought.
She kicked off her shoes and lay on top of the blanket. She watched him fumble with the bedroll. “Richie,” she called out.
“Yes, Jo?” There was a sense of ‘what now’ in his voice as he turned to stare at her again with those blue eyes.
“You don’t have to sleep on the floor. We’re both adults and fully clothed so - ” She stopped, hoping he’d get the hint, but he just stood there watching her, forcing her to voice the invitation. “You could sleep over here.”
She didn’t know why she’d made the offer; it certainly went beyond the harmless flirting she had envisioned to win him over. Maybe it was simply to get him away from the door so she could sneak out during the night. Deep down inside, she just didn’t like the judgmental way he’d been staring and wanted to prove she wasn’t completely heartless.
His eyes flicked to Bobby who was sprawled snoring on the other bed, and then down at the bedroll. He looked back at her and then smiled. Jo was taking aback by how genuine it was and couldn’t help but smile back.
“Thanks, Jo. This bed roll isn’t my idea of a good nights rest before a hunt,” he said, continuing to send her that blinding smile that made her stomach flutter in a way with which she was unfamiliar.
She watched as he situated himself on his side of the bed, back to her. She found herself staring at the muscles of his shoulders.
“Get the light Jo,” he said without turning over.
“Right, sorry.” She tore her eyes away and flicked out the light on the night stand before settling in, her back to him.
**********************************************
The next morning, Richie woke slowly and found he couldn’t move his right arm. Without opening his eyes, he rolled toward the weight pressed into his side, he embraced it, and the warmth responded by snuggling closer. Simultaneously, their eyes flew open and grew wide with panic as their brains registered the embrace. They pushed hurriedly away from each other and in similar motions jumped off the bed. Without a word, Jo fled into the bathroom.
Richie heard the sound of chuckling and looked up to see Bobby relaxing on the opposite bed.
“Well, that was worth the wait,” he said as he stood and headed for the door. “I’m off to get coffee. Be ready to go when I get back.”
“Wait Bobby, you can’t leave me here alone with - ” He pointed to the bathroom.
“What, now you’re afraid of her?” Bobby laughed without sympathy and exited the room.
“Gee, thanks for nothing, Bobby,” he mumbled at the closed door.
Jo had shown herself to be marginally tolerable last night. He thought he might actually be able to endure her for a few days but now he was sure she’d eventually be accusing him of taking advantage of her somehow.
Great, just great. Richie dragged a hand through his hair and went to grab some clothes for the day.
“Can you hand me my bag?” came Jo’s voice from behind the bathroom door. Her hand snaked out and she waggled her fingers at him. “Hello out there. My bag please.”
Richie sighed. “Coming.” He grabbed the duffle from the dresser and walked to the bathroom. He was about to place the bag in Jo’s outstretched hand when he caught a glimpse of her in the mirror though the opening. She was standing there in just her panties, and Richie found himself staring.
“Richie?” came the questioning voice, and then in the mirror her eyes locked with his. She had a look of panic on her face as she slammed the door shut. “Just leave it,” she barked.
Richie nodded to the closed door, still too stunned to say anything and dropped the bag on the floor. He retreated to the other side of the room, heard the door open and the bag disappear inside.
He literally smacked himself on the head. Stupid, so very stupid and yet there was a part of him that was enjoying the memory of what he’d seen. As a smile crept across his face, the sensible part of his brain shouted, NO! and clamped down on the memory.
By the time Jo emerged from the bathroom, Richie was dressed, in jeans and a black t-shirt, sitting on the bed. He watched her repack her duffle and couldn’t help but notice how well she filled her jeans, or how when she bent over her top rode up revealing the small of her back.
Richie swallowed and mentally smacked himself again. This was Ellen’s ungrateful daughter, he reminded himself. She’d called him names and been all kinds of rude to him. Miserable, he dropped his head in his hands. Too bad his upstairs brain had now registered that she was very hot because his downstairs brain wasn’t about to let him forget it.
Richie decided it was best to apologize and begin repairing what little communication they had previously established if they were going to hunt together.
“Jo,” he called as he rose from the bed and walked half the distance between them.
She turned from where she’d been ignoring him, busily packing and repacking her duffle. “What?” she snapped.
Ouch. She wasn’t gong to make this easy, not that he blamed her. “I’m sorry about that,” he said lamely as he gestured to the bathroom.
She went from glaring at him to furious in the blink of an eye.
“You’re sorry!” she shouted. “You’re a creep. First you paw at me in the bed and then you play peeping Tom in the bathroom, and all you have to say is ‘sorry’.”
Obviously, apologizing was the wrong move, so Richie decided that the best defense was a good offense. He stepped closer to her, meeting her anger with his own. “I seem to recall that you were the one snuggling me.”
“No! You were the one,” she said, pointing a determined finger in his face as she stepped closer, “who took advantage of my platonic invitation to cop a feel.”
Looking down at her, he was very much aware that there was very little space between them, especially since she was leaning in to poke him in the chest. His brain rebelled at the thought that her close proximately was desirable. “Sweetheart, you’ve got nothing I want to feel,” he verbally smacked her.
“Oooh,” she huffed in frustration, her fists balled at her side. “You - You are unbelievable.” Jo was vibrating with rage. “If that’s the case, why did you take such a long look?” she countered finally.
Richie was not going to be the only one here accused of taking advantage of the situation.
“It’s clear to me that you wanted me to look,” he said. “You could have used a towel and gotten that bag yourself.”
“I did not. I mistakenly thought you were a gentleman. Obviously, I was wrong. You are a Neanderthal.”
“I got the impression you liked Neanderthals. Isn’t that why you’re hung up on Dean?”
Her eyes grew cold and Richie registered that he’d crossed a line he didn’t know was there.
She slapped him, hard. “Asshole!” And before Richie could react, she’d stormed away and shut herself into the bathroom.
Richie reached up to massage his jaw. He’d turned off his brain-to-mouth filter at some point during the argument, and he’d really stepped in it this time. Of course, Mac would say he never had one. Still, he’d like to think he’d progressed beyond the hot headed youth he’d been in his twenties but apparently not.
If she really was hung up on Dean, her violent response only confirmed that Dean did not share her feelings. He’d heard Dean mention Jo once or twice, but always the way a brother might talk about an annoying kid sister.
Richie approached the bathroom and resigned himself to apologizing once again. One of them had to be the adult.
“Jo,” he said tentatively as he knocked on the bathroom door. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”
He girded himself for more of her anger but there was no response.
“Jo?”
“You’re wrong. I’m not hung up on Dean.” Her voice was so low that if he hadn’t been leaning against the door he might have missed it.
“Jo, please come out and let’s talk about this.”
“Go away, Richie.” He voice sounded tired and it seemed all the fight had gone out of her.
Bobby chose that moment to reappear. He entered the hotel room, coffee tray and box of donuts balanced in one hand, with one of the pastries dangling from his mouth, as he returned the hotel room key to his pocket. Removing the half-eaten donut, he nodded his approval that Richie seemed ready to go. “Jo still in the bathroom?”
When Richie nodded, he dropped his breakfast purchases on the hotel room table and marched over to the bathroom door muttering, “Girl wants to hunt but can’t be ready on time.”
He banged on the door. “Now, Jo. We leave as soon as I finish this donut,” he said, waving the last bit of his breakfast pastry at the door before popping it in his mouth.
The door to the bathroom opened and Jo came out. Her face was emotionless as she silently walked past the two men shouldered her weapons bag, grabbed a coffee, and headed out the door.
Bobby grunted his approval and did the same.
***************************************************
Concluded in Part 2
.