Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala: Fic 15: Good Enough (4/5)
Series: Two Guys, a Girl and a Chevy Impala
Fic #15: Good Enough (3/?)
Rated: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not ours. Don't sue. Thanks.
Fandom: Supernatural/Smallville.
Pairing: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah.
"Sammy, I swear to God if I have to listen to one more of... *this*," Dean shouted, flailing an arm towards the drunken karaoke singer currently butchering his favorite Metallica song, "I'm gonna shoot his ass with rocksalt!" He tried jumping up out of his seat, but Sam managed to restrain him.
"You are not going anywhere," Sam protested, pulling him back down. "Just drink your beer."
"I can't drink beer when they're killing my songs," he whined, grimacing when the singer hit a sour note. I'm gonna hunt that drunk bitch down, he thought, looking around the club for something to throw at the singer.
Sarah sighed and leaned back, observing the brothers argue. "I guess this was a bust," she muttered to herself, grimacing at the off-key notes flinging about the room.
"Chloe's on her way back," Sam murmured to Sarah, leaning over to whisper in her ear.
"Thank God," she whispered under her breath, watching Dean turn a darker shade of red. She was worried about her friend, having been gone so long as to raise an alarm in her heart. That feeling hadn't gone away, and she wasn't sure what was worse, trying to pretend ignorance or knowing there was more to the story than they'd been told.
Dean stood up again, beer in his hand. "That's it. Dude's dead," he muttered. He had every intention of hitting the singer in the head with the bottle and taking off after Chloe, who had disappeared somewhere. And he wanted to know where.
"Sit down," Sam commanded, shooting him a warning glare.
"No, dammit," he growled, shooting daggers at the little karaoke stage, "I need to knock this guy out. He's killing this song!"
Annoyed, Sam rose to his feet, towering over his older brother, missing the moment when Chloe walked through the door.
Sarah rose and quickly moved to the other woman, the guys having their backs to her. "Hey," she whispered breathlessly, noting the blank look on Chloe's face. "How'd it go?"
"Okay, I think." She was tense as she looked across the room to the brothers. "He's pissed about something."
Sarah turned to look at Dean, his face angry as he spoke to Sam. "Yeah, and for the life of me, I don't know what it is." She frowned and looked back at Chloe. "He's been making fun of the karaoke singers for the last half an hour, but he won't talk about where he was earlier."
Chloe drew in a breath and gave Sarah's arm a squeeze before slowly moving through the crowd, raising her eyebrows as she maneuvered herself between Dean and Sam. "Miss me?"
"Where the hell have you been?" Dean practically snarled, turning and grabbing Chloe with both hands, hauling her into a tight, almost desperate embrace.
She winced a little and hugged him back. Let's go back to the hotel, she thought.
Yes, let's, before I kill the karaoke machine. He took her hand and looked up over at Sam. "You two coming or not?" he demanded.
Sam glanced at Sarah. "You ready to get outta here?"
"God, yes," she replied, holding out her hand. We need to know what Dean and Chloe are up to.
He nodded slightly, sliding her hand into his and following his brother and Chloe toward the door. I'd really love to know what the hell's really going on.
God, Sam, you're just now asking that question? Dean's mental question was filled with irritation, though he stuffed the intense worry he'd felt with Chloe's absence the entire time she was gone. They walked to the Impala in silence, but Dean saw the carefully masked look on her face and knew something was up.
She slid into the passenger seat without hesitation, remaining silent the entire drive and keeping them all out of her mind.
The drive was quick, especially since the bar Sam and Sarah had taken him to was only a few blocks away. What irritated him was the fact that he felt like they had been baby-sitting him... something apparently true, since Chloe wasn't speaking to him. He didn't know what she was up to, but he sure as hell wanted to know.
So when they had finally reached his and Chloe's room, he turned to her and said, "Okay, spill it, Chloe. Where the hell have you been?"
"And what the hell is really going on?" Sarah interjected, looking from the eldest Winchester to his girlfriend, concerned.
"I went to see Jo." Her voice was quiet and she didn't meet anyone's eyes.
"Jo?" Dean was the first to speak, breaking the ear-shattering silence. "Why the hell did you go to see her?"
Chloe fell silent for a moment. "Because I had to."
Sam gazed at her intently, remaining quiet for the time being.
Sarah looked at Dean, watched the color rise in his skin, and nodded quietly.
"You had to?" he asked, shutting the door behind them, keeping his back to her. "Like it was a compulsion you couldn't avoid? Because you thought I couldn't handle her myself?"
"Because I know things that you don't," she responded, her voice calm.
He spun around and gave her a hard look, folding his arms across his chest. "Oh yeah? You gonna clue us in on these... things?" he remarked casually.
"No. Not right now." She gazed back at him. "I just need you to trust me."
He flinched like he’d been slapped in the face. "What more do I need to trust you with, Chloe?" he demanded loudly, taking a step towards her. "Clearly, you don't want to let me in. Again."
"Dean..." Sarah began but stopped when she felt Sam's hand on her shoulder.
"It's not like that," she said softly, gazing at him intently. "I promise. And I will tell you. Just...not now."
Running a hand through his hair, Dean headed for the door, grabbing the knob and yanking it open. He strode out and slammed the door behind him, too full of hurt and worry to show the others.
Grimacing at hearing the window rattle from the force of the door, she turned to Chloe with sad eyes. "What's really going on, Chloe?" she pleaded quietly.
She flinched and shook her head, quickly following Dean out the door. "I need you to listen to me." She grabbed his arm.
He yanked away from her and continued walking. "Leave me alone," he replied coldly.
She ignored him, moving so she was standing in front of him, her hands out and pressed against his chest to stop him. "Jo's in trouble. She needs to come with us for awhile. It's why she didn't want to give you the Colt."
"Yeah? Well, she's so damned competent: why can't she take care of herself without the Colt?!"
"Because there's a nest of vampires after her. She killed their leader, they have her scent."
He sighed in frustration. "God, you'd never think she was a hunter's daughter." He stepped back from her touch. "Why are you telling me this, Chloe? She won't give me the Colt, so I'm going to take it from her."
"She is going to give it to you. But she's gotta come with us." Her eyes were pleading.
If a frown could hit the floor, Dean's would have at that moment. "You're fucking kidding me," he complained quietly, fists balling tightly.
"If she doesn't come with us, she's going to die. And she's not the only one." Her words were clipped, dead serious.
He snorted. "What, we're gonna help her kill the vamps or else we'll die?"
Chloe's jaw tightened. "You really wanna see her dead, Dean?" she demanded.
"Hell no, I don't wanna see her dead," he said loudly, looking down. "It's just... how am I going to get any rest with both of you around doing the Jealous Girl dance?"
She let out a frustrated sigh. "Did I act jealous this morning when you went to talk to her?"
"I'm not talking about you, Chloe... I meant her." It didn't take a genius to know Jo still held a torch for him, even though she'd die before admitting it.
"She's stronger than she looks. And she doesn't wanna die. Dean...right now she's completely alone. Vulnerable. A few months ago, she could've been me."
Dean flinched, his eyes dark and wary. "Fine, we'll take her along. Now, can I go now?"
"No," she whispered, cupping his face in her hands and gazing into his eyes. "I love you. I've never loved anyone this much before, and I never will again." Her green eyes sparkled with tears.
Suddenly, the anger washed away, as if her tears melted the ice that had formed around his heart during the last couple of hours. He reached up and touched her hands, dark hazel eyes gazing at her. "Hey, are you okay? Never seen you like this before."
Wordlessly she pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss. I'm okay. And I swear I will tell you everything soon, she thought, sliding her fingers through his hair.
"Chloe," he groaned, pulling her to him, his lips moving over hers. Conveying his confusion and love for her. He wasn't looking forward to taking Jo with them, but if it meant getting the Colt, then he'd do what was necessary.
Her fingers trailed down the back of his neck, stroking the skin there gently.
He shivered, grasping her sides firmly, kissing her lightly for a moment. "We need to tell Sam and Sarah," he said, voice quiet but firm.
"I will," she whispered against his mouth. "You go get Jo and the Colt."
He placed lingering kisses on her lips. "Do I have to get her?" he tried to tease gently, still balking slightly over the thought.
"Yes," she said softly. "But I promise it'll be okay." She returned the kisses.
"You'd... better," he murmured between kisses, "because after this, I think I'm going to need your special brand of TLC."
A smile tugged at her lips. "Count on it."
He stepped back, patting his pocket to make sure his gun was safely tucked into his jacket pocket. He caught Chloe's troubled look and frowned. "What? I always carry it with me," he stated.
"Dean... be really nice to Jo, okay? And make sure she thinks you want her to come along." Her eyes were worried.
He almost made a biting remark but bit his tongue. The look on her face was enough to make him wonder what she really knew. "Okay," he agreed quietly, glancing at the elevator.
"Thank you." She kissed him softly once more, touching his cheek.
His lips drifted to the palm of her hand, caressing her skin for a moment. Dean then moved away from her, smiling a little before heading down the hall towards the elevator. Back to the roadhouse to get the Colt and save Jo. The one person he never thought he'd hunt with again.
&&&&&
Chloe slowly made her way back to the hotel room she'd followed Dean out of, not meeting Sam's or Sarah's eyes. "We're...gonna have a new traveling companion for awhile."
Sarah frowned immediately. "It's Jo, isn't it?"
"Yeah. It is." Her voice was soft.
Sam blew out a breath and looked at Chloe. "Why?" he asked gently, taking Sarah's hand. "I thought you two hated each other."
"I don't hate Jo." She leaned against the wall. "She's in trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" Sarah asked immediately. "Please, we need to know everything." She sensed her friend's hesitancy and silently pleaded with her.
"She killed the leader of a pack of vampires. Now they're after her. It's why she needed the Colt."
She put a hand over her mouth, horrified. "Oh my God," Sarah whispered, "how many are after her?"
Sam shook his head, looking at the floor for a moment.
"At least seven. Maybe more." Her voice was quiet and she avoided looking at Sam.
"She can't fight all of them alone," he replied, still gazing at the floor.
Sarah shook her head in agreement, though she never stopped looking at Chloe. "Does Dean know about... this?"
"He knows." She wound her arms around herself and moved to look out the window.
She sighed, glancing at Sam. "And I take it this is a bad thing," she remarked wryly. "She's still in love with Dean, isn't she?"
"Can't blame her there," Chloe said softly.
Grinning, Sarah replied, "Well, when you're with a Winchester, it's unavoidable." She watched the smile form on Sam's face and melted inside.
You got that right, she thought with a faint, sad smile as she leaned her head against the glass.
Sam folded his arms, silently taking in all this information. The blonde looked, if anything, worse off than when she entered the room. "What else is going on?" he asked finally, quietly observing her pale face.
She flinched a little, knowing he was trying very hard to read her mind right then. "Sam..."
"Chloe," he repeated softly. "You have to let us in. I know something's wrong." He glanced at Sarah, worried over what she was hiding.
She closed her eyes, leaning her head against the glass for a moment. "I lived this day before," she whispered.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Sarah's eyes grew wide with surprise: Sam, trying to remain calm, simply looked at Chloe, mentally urging her to continue. What happened? he asked, pushing at her mind again.
She kept the walls up firmly between them, not willing to let him see the things he had in the alternate day. "Let's just say it didn't end well and leave it at that."
He couldn't let it go. Wasn't willing to. He nudged calmly at her mind. "Like what?"
She turned to look at him, her eyes distant. "You don't wanna know."
Feeling a headache coming on, Sarah rubbed her temples gently. "I think you need to let it go, Sam," she whispered, pained by the look on Chloe's face. Whatever secret she was keeping she wasn't going to divulge.
"Maybe I do," he replied, his face turning hard with determination. "Because how can I protect Dean if I don't know what's going on?"
Growing frustrated, Chloe met his eyes. "Because this wasn't a test for you. It's a test for me."
"Test? What test?" Sam looked over at Sarah, who was giving him an irritated glare.
"Sam, let... it... go," she repeated, moving towards Chloe, enveloping her in a tight hug. She wanted to know, but not at the expense of Chloe's distraught state.
She rested her head against Sarah's for a moment, then slowly pulled away, heading for the door.
Sarah watched Chloe leave, understanding the pain she was in. "Chlo," she whispered, "is there anything else we can do to help you out?" She moved back and pushed Sam towards Chloe, giving him a look.
"Duh, Sarah, I'm going with Dean, okay?"
"No," Chloe said quickly, turning around with wide eyes. She couldn't let anything from the alternate day come close to happening again.
"Why not?" he demanded a little harshly. "I'm not going to sit here, twiddling my thumbs, while Dean's out there facing who knows what just to get this damn gun!"
She flinched involuntarily at his tone, keeping her back pressed against the door. "For one, he's already left. Secondly, he's just gonna go get Jo. All right?"
Reaching for his wallet, Sam moved towards the door. "I'll call a cab and follow him. I need to make sure he'll be okay."
Sarah stood there, feeling a little more than helpless, especially since she rarely saw Sam this aggravated.
She grabbed his arm. "You can't," she whispered.
"Why not?" he grunted, surprised at the vice-grip hold she had.
Suddenly a light in Sarah's mind lit up, making her knees quake in fear. "Sam," she whispered in a panicked voice, eyes focused intently on Chloe's frightened face, "please, for the love of God, stay here. Please." She glanced at Sam for a second, then looked back at her friend. Something had happened to Dean, she wondered. She didn't know how she knew: call it gut instinct.
"I need you to trust me," Chloe whispered, tears prickling in her eyes. "Please, Sam."
"It's not about trust," he complained softly, looking at his wife for a moment. "It's about keeping my family safe. All of us. We're supposed to be on vacation, remember?"
Sarah took a determined step towards him. "Then stay with us and we can find something to celebrate while waiting for Dean." She touched his arm firmly, eyes boring into his, unwilling to let him go.
Chloe's expression was pained at his words. "That's what I'm trying to do," she whispered, turning and heading out the door.
Sam watched her leave, letting her go. The moment she was out the door, however, he turned to Sarah. "I'm going after my brother," he stated evenly, ignoring the despairing look in Sarah's eyes.
"What?" she demanded, a little angry that he refused to listen to reason. "No, Sam. *No.* It's just a little thing he's doing, okay?" Fear crept into her heart as she spoke, wondering if something truly would happen again if Sam left them to go after Dean.
"It'll be okay," he said, kissing her forehead and heading for the door.
She reached out a hand, trying to stop him, but he evaded her. She ran to the door after him, but he proved elusive, running quickly down the hall towards the elevator. Knowing she couldn't run after him. Sighing and putting her head against the doorframe, she tossed a thought his way. No, Sam, isn't not going to be okay.
&&&&&
Chloe was already in the hotel lobby when she saw him coming out of the elevator, a surge of frustrated anger and deep weariness settling in her bones. The man was more stubborn than Clark Kent on red Kryptonite. Her face was even as he approached and she watched the surprise flicker over his expression when he spotted her. "I know you too well."
"Won't stop me from going, though," he retorted, determined to follow his brother no matter what. He maneuvered past her, heading for the outside lobby to hail a cab.
"Will seeing your brother die stop you?" Her voice was hard.
He nearly tripped over his feet at her words. "What?" he said, utterly surprised at what she had shouted. Fortunately the lobby was empty, or else people would start asking questions. He turned around, watching her trying to keep from collapsing. "Is that what happened?"
"Yes," she answered, her eyes distant. "It's what I'm trying to keep from happening again, but you won't listen to me."
He sucked in an agitated breath. "It won't happen again." He turned and walked outside, whistling for a cab.
Anger flooding her, she followed him, grabbing his arm and yanking him back from the curb. "You're not going."
"I am, too," he grumbled, pulling away from her. "It's my job, Chloe." He was so intent on looking for a cab that he didn't notice the sheer defeat that crossed her features.
"It's mine too," she whispered. "Do you think there's anything I wouldn't do to keep Dean safe? Anything I wouldn't give up?"
Sam knew there wasn't. She loved Dean completely. Turning around slowly, he gazed at her stricken face. "When you said this was a test for you... what did you mean by that?" he asked carefully.
Drawing in a breath, she closed her eyes. "He died in my arms. I went to the crossroads north of the bar." Her voice was quiet.
Shock flowed through him like a river washing over its banks. "God, please tell me you didn't...." He couldn't finish his statement: his tongue suddenly felt dry and thick with terror.
"When I tried to summon the demon, your mother showed up instead."
Sam blinked. "My... mother?" He felt on the verge of his brain shutting down with all the information he had managed to drag out of him. His mental walls must have dropped, too, because he saw Sarah walk outside looking fiercely upset.
A little breathless, Sarah looked between Sam and Chloe. Feeling awkward and out of place, she just took Sam's hand and squeezed it.
"She told me I had to be the one to save him. That everything depended on it. And then she restarted the day." She drew in a shuddering breath.
Sarah nodded. "And I'd say you've done that, Chloe," she said, giving Sam a meaningful glance. Let Chloe do this, she thought. We need to take care of her, okay?
Sam closed his eyes, trying to wrap his mind around his mother talking to Chloe. "She wasn't... a demon in disguise, was she?"
"No," she said softly, winding her arms around herself. "There was no deal. She just said to save him. To do whatever it takes."
He nodded, looking down, feeling slightly ashamed of himself. He was so used to looking after Dean: sometimes he had to remember they weren't alone anymore.
"You wanna get a drink?" Sarah asked Chloe sheepishly. "A non-alcoholic one for me, in any case?"
"No," she said softly. "You guys go ahead." She slowly turned away from them.
"Where are you going?" Sam asked quietly, watching her walk away.
Her mental walls firmly in place, she forced a small smile. "Just on a little walk. I'll be back."
He didn't believe her for a second, but let her leave them. He turned to face Sarah, her dark eyes alive with worry. "Are you okay?"
She didn't answer him, looking at Chloe's retreating figure. She wondered if, one day, that would be her, trying to save Sam. A darkness threatened to settle over her heart. "Can we... never take a vacation again?" she asked absently.
&&&&&
Jo paced the length of the bar nervously, her eyes locked on the clock. It was Midnight and she'd convinced herself that Dean wasn't going to show up.
Taking a deep breath, Dean unrolled out of the driver's seat, locking the Impala before striding quickly to the roadhouse. He still wasn't sure Chloe's suggestion was a good idea, but if it meant getting his hands on the Colt... Well, he was willing to do just about anything.
"Jo," he called quietly, walking through the dimly lit, empty bar.
She turned, startled at his voice, surprise registering on her face. "Hi." Her eyes were guarded, uncertain.
He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Uh, hey." He shut the door behind him and moved towards the counter.
She watched him for a moment, then reached beneath the bar and set the Colt on the counter, remaining silent.
For a moment, he glanced at her, cocking an eyebrow. His fingers touched the cold barrel, closing around it slowly. "Still got the bullet?" he asked quietly.
"It's in there," she said just as quietly.
He nodded, taking the Colt and hiding it in his jacket. He turned around, saying, "Let's go."
Jo was silent for a moment. "No. Good luck."
"No, come on," he protested, turning around with a frustrated growl. "I've already had to contend with one stubborn woman. Don't make my day any worse."
A faint smile touched her lips. "Yeah. About that. She's not so bad after all."
He smiled, thinking of Chloe. How she was waiting for him. "Yeah, she's better than I am," he admitted quietly. He looked at her squarely. "And she'll never talk to me again if I go back without you."
Surprise flickered over her features. "If I go with you...I'll be putting all four of you at risk."
"In case you haven't guessed," Dean said, chuckling knowingly, "we're always at risk." He gave her a pointed look.
A smile tugged at her lips and she looked down at the bar for a moment. "I don't suppose there's any chance you're heading to South Dakota."
Dean smirked. "You want to go home?"
She shot him a look. "We all gotta go home sometime."
"Been there, done that," he replied with a snort, glancing at the door. "We haven't seen Ellen in awhile, so might as well head that way." He moved towards the door.
Drawing in a breath, she grabbed her bag from beneath the counter and followed him. She had a feeling it was going to be a long trip.
&&&&&
The ride back to the hotel was long and awkward, and by the time Jo left to get her own room for the night, Dean's nerves were stretched to the breaking point. He couldn't wait for the elevator, so he took the stairs, two and three at a time, anxious to see the people he loved again. The only thing keeping him from breaking was the Colt, which still had the bullet.
Yanking the stairway door open, he jogged to the room he shared with Chloe, only to find her gone. He looked around, heading for Sam's door, pounding frantically.
Relief washed over Sam as he found his brother safe and sound on his doorstep. "Oh thank God."
Dean smirked at him. "No, thank Dean," he retorted, heading into the room and nodding at Sarah. "Because look what I have." He pulled out the gun and handed it to his brother.
"That's it?" she whispered quietly from her seat in the corner.
Sam took the Colt from him, staring at it for a long moment. "Jo?"
"She's... downstairs, getting a room for the night." He rubbed a hand over his face. "She wants to go back to South Dakota."
It took Sarah a moment to comprehend what Dean was saying. "Oh," she said finally, "back to the roadhouse?"
"She's finally ready to go home," Sam murmured, slowly moving to sit down on the bed.
Dean nodded, frowning a little. "If I floor it, we could make there in a couple of days..." He stopped when his brother gave him a look. "What?"
"Nothing," he said softly, gazing at him intently.
"You're such a liar, Sam Winchester," Sarah replied, standing up and heading for the door. "Don't you know Dean can't handle two women at once?" She winked at Dean, grateful to see him alive and in one piece, then headed for the door. "I'm going to see if Jo needs anything."
"Yeah, good idea." Sam rose to his feet, watching her head out the door.
Dean rolled his eyes. "I can too handle two women at once,” he grumbled, sitting heavily into a chair. He was tired, he thought, wondering where Chloe was. "Man, this vacation sucked."
"Could have been a lot worse," he said solemnly.
Dean noticed the look on Sam's face but said nothing. Whatever his brother was ruminating about, it would just have to wait. "Where's Chloe?" he asked. "She's not in our room."
"She went for a walk." His voice was soft and he couldn't take his eyes off his brother.
He shot up out of his seat. "A walk? Where the hell did she go at this time of night?" He looked over at Sam and frowned. "Dude, don't go chick flick on me, okay?"
"Right. Sorry. Jerk." A small smile touched his lips.
"Bitch," he replied with a small, confused smile. He briefly wondered what had happened today to make Sam go all maudlin, but he decided to leave things as they were. Reading his brother's mind was the last thing he wanted to do. Right now, at least. "So you gonna tell me where she went or not?"
"I don't know," he admitted. "But if I had to guess...the beach would probably be a good place to look."
"The beach. That's such a chick thing to do," he grumbled, heading towards the door quickly. "Can you and Sarah make sure Jo's okay?"
"Yeah, of course. Dean?"
"Yeah, Sammy?"
Sam gazed at him intently for a minute. "She's had a rough day."
"I'm not gonna be hard on her," Dean replied with a frown. "What happened today?"
A sad smile touched his face. "You'll have to ask her."
Should I is the question, he thought, giving his brother a questioning look. "Don't wait up for us." He crooked a smile, disappearing into the hallway.
Fic #15: Good Enough (3/?)
Rated: NC-17
Disclaimer: Not ours. Don't sue. Thanks.
Fandom: Supernatural/Smallville.
Pairing: Chloe/Dean, Sam/Sarah.
"Sammy, I swear to God if I have to listen to one more of... *this*," Dean shouted, flailing an arm towards the drunken karaoke singer currently butchering his favorite Metallica song, "I'm gonna shoot his ass with rocksalt!" He tried jumping up out of his seat, but Sam managed to restrain him.
"You are not going anywhere," Sam protested, pulling him back down. "Just drink your beer."
"I can't drink beer when they're killing my songs," he whined, grimacing when the singer hit a sour note. I'm gonna hunt that drunk bitch down, he thought, looking around the club for something to throw at the singer.
Sarah sighed and leaned back, observing the brothers argue. "I guess this was a bust," she muttered to herself, grimacing at the off-key notes flinging about the room.
"Chloe's on her way back," Sam murmured to Sarah, leaning over to whisper in her ear.
"Thank God," she whispered under her breath, watching Dean turn a darker shade of red. She was worried about her friend, having been gone so long as to raise an alarm in her heart. That feeling hadn't gone away, and she wasn't sure what was worse, trying to pretend ignorance or knowing there was more to the story than they'd been told.
Dean stood up again, beer in his hand. "That's it. Dude's dead," he muttered. He had every intention of hitting the singer in the head with the bottle and taking off after Chloe, who had disappeared somewhere. And he wanted to know where.
"Sit down," Sam commanded, shooting him a warning glare.
"No, dammit," he growled, shooting daggers at the little karaoke stage, "I need to knock this guy out. He's killing this song!"
Annoyed, Sam rose to his feet, towering over his older brother, missing the moment when Chloe walked through the door.
Sarah rose and quickly moved to the other woman, the guys having their backs to her. "Hey," she whispered breathlessly, noting the blank look on Chloe's face. "How'd it go?"
"Okay, I think." She was tense as she looked across the room to the brothers. "He's pissed about something."
Sarah turned to look at Dean, his face angry as he spoke to Sam. "Yeah, and for the life of me, I don't know what it is." She frowned and looked back at Chloe. "He's been making fun of the karaoke singers for the last half an hour, but he won't talk about where he was earlier."
Chloe drew in a breath and gave Sarah's arm a squeeze before slowly moving through the crowd, raising her eyebrows as she maneuvered herself between Dean and Sam. "Miss me?"
"Where the hell have you been?" Dean practically snarled, turning and grabbing Chloe with both hands, hauling her into a tight, almost desperate embrace.
She winced a little and hugged him back. Let's go back to the hotel, she thought.
Yes, let's, before I kill the karaoke machine. He took her hand and looked up over at Sam. "You two coming or not?" he demanded.
Sam glanced at Sarah. "You ready to get outta here?"
"God, yes," she replied, holding out her hand. We need to know what Dean and Chloe are up to.
He nodded slightly, sliding her hand into his and following his brother and Chloe toward the door. I'd really love to know what the hell's really going on.
God, Sam, you're just now asking that question? Dean's mental question was filled with irritation, though he stuffed the intense worry he'd felt with Chloe's absence the entire time she was gone. They walked to the Impala in silence, but Dean saw the carefully masked look on her face and knew something was up.
She slid into the passenger seat without hesitation, remaining silent the entire drive and keeping them all out of her mind.
The drive was quick, especially since the bar Sam and Sarah had taken him to was only a few blocks away. What irritated him was the fact that he felt like they had been baby-sitting him... something apparently true, since Chloe wasn't speaking to him. He didn't know what she was up to, but he sure as hell wanted to know.
So when they had finally reached his and Chloe's room, he turned to her and said, "Okay, spill it, Chloe. Where the hell have you been?"
"And what the hell is really going on?" Sarah interjected, looking from the eldest Winchester to his girlfriend, concerned.
"I went to see Jo." Her voice was quiet and she didn't meet anyone's eyes.
"Jo?" Dean was the first to speak, breaking the ear-shattering silence. "Why the hell did you go to see her?"
Chloe fell silent for a moment. "Because I had to."
Sam gazed at her intently, remaining quiet for the time being.
Sarah looked at Dean, watched the color rise in his skin, and nodded quietly.
"You had to?" he asked, shutting the door behind them, keeping his back to her. "Like it was a compulsion you couldn't avoid? Because you thought I couldn't handle her myself?"
"Because I know things that you don't," she responded, her voice calm.
He spun around and gave her a hard look, folding his arms across his chest. "Oh yeah? You gonna clue us in on these... things?" he remarked casually.
"No. Not right now." She gazed back at him. "I just need you to trust me."
He flinched like he’d been slapped in the face. "What more do I need to trust you with, Chloe?" he demanded loudly, taking a step towards her. "Clearly, you don't want to let me in. Again."
"Dean..." Sarah began but stopped when she felt Sam's hand on her shoulder.
"It's not like that," she said softly, gazing at him intently. "I promise. And I will tell you. Just...not now."
Running a hand through his hair, Dean headed for the door, grabbing the knob and yanking it open. He strode out and slammed the door behind him, too full of hurt and worry to show the others.
Grimacing at hearing the window rattle from the force of the door, she turned to Chloe with sad eyes. "What's really going on, Chloe?" she pleaded quietly.
She flinched and shook her head, quickly following Dean out the door. "I need you to listen to me." She grabbed his arm.
He yanked away from her and continued walking. "Leave me alone," he replied coldly.
She ignored him, moving so she was standing in front of him, her hands out and pressed against his chest to stop him. "Jo's in trouble. She needs to come with us for awhile. It's why she didn't want to give you the Colt."
"Yeah? Well, she's so damned competent: why can't she take care of herself without the Colt?!"
"Because there's a nest of vampires after her. She killed their leader, they have her scent."
He sighed in frustration. "God, you'd never think she was a hunter's daughter." He stepped back from her touch. "Why are you telling me this, Chloe? She won't give me the Colt, so I'm going to take it from her."
"She is going to give it to you. But she's gotta come with us." Her eyes were pleading.
If a frown could hit the floor, Dean's would have at that moment. "You're fucking kidding me," he complained quietly, fists balling tightly.
"If she doesn't come with us, she's going to die. And she's not the only one." Her words were clipped, dead serious.
He snorted. "What, we're gonna help her kill the vamps or else we'll die?"
Chloe's jaw tightened. "You really wanna see her dead, Dean?" she demanded.
"Hell no, I don't wanna see her dead," he said loudly, looking down. "It's just... how am I going to get any rest with both of you around doing the Jealous Girl dance?"
She let out a frustrated sigh. "Did I act jealous this morning when you went to talk to her?"
"I'm not talking about you, Chloe... I meant her." It didn't take a genius to know Jo still held a torch for him, even though she'd die before admitting it.
"She's stronger than she looks. And she doesn't wanna die. Dean...right now she's completely alone. Vulnerable. A few months ago, she could've been me."
Dean flinched, his eyes dark and wary. "Fine, we'll take her along. Now, can I go now?"
"No," she whispered, cupping his face in her hands and gazing into his eyes. "I love you. I've never loved anyone this much before, and I never will again." Her green eyes sparkled with tears.
Suddenly, the anger washed away, as if her tears melted the ice that had formed around his heart during the last couple of hours. He reached up and touched her hands, dark hazel eyes gazing at her. "Hey, are you okay? Never seen you like this before."
Wordlessly she pressed her lips against his in a gentle kiss. I'm okay. And I swear I will tell you everything soon, she thought, sliding her fingers through his hair.
"Chloe," he groaned, pulling her to him, his lips moving over hers. Conveying his confusion and love for her. He wasn't looking forward to taking Jo with them, but if it meant getting the Colt, then he'd do what was necessary.
Her fingers trailed down the back of his neck, stroking the skin there gently.
He shivered, grasping her sides firmly, kissing her lightly for a moment. "We need to tell Sam and Sarah," he said, voice quiet but firm.
"I will," she whispered against his mouth. "You go get Jo and the Colt."
He placed lingering kisses on her lips. "Do I have to get her?" he tried to tease gently, still balking slightly over the thought.
"Yes," she said softly. "But I promise it'll be okay." She returned the kisses.
"You'd... better," he murmured between kisses, "because after this, I think I'm going to need your special brand of TLC."
A smile tugged at her lips. "Count on it."
He stepped back, patting his pocket to make sure his gun was safely tucked into his jacket pocket. He caught Chloe's troubled look and frowned. "What? I always carry it with me," he stated.
"Dean... be really nice to Jo, okay? And make sure she thinks you want her to come along." Her eyes were worried.
He almost made a biting remark but bit his tongue. The look on her face was enough to make him wonder what she really knew. "Okay," he agreed quietly, glancing at the elevator.
"Thank you." She kissed him softly once more, touching his cheek.
His lips drifted to the palm of her hand, caressing her skin for a moment. Dean then moved away from her, smiling a little before heading down the hall towards the elevator. Back to the roadhouse to get the Colt and save Jo. The one person he never thought he'd hunt with again.
&&&&&
Chloe slowly made her way back to the hotel room she'd followed Dean out of, not meeting Sam's or Sarah's eyes. "We're...gonna have a new traveling companion for awhile."
Sarah frowned immediately. "It's Jo, isn't it?"
"Yeah. It is." Her voice was soft.
Sam blew out a breath and looked at Chloe. "Why?" he asked gently, taking Sarah's hand. "I thought you two hated each other."
"I don't hate Jo." She leaned against the wall. "She's in trouble."
"What kind of trouble?" Sarah asked immediately. "Please, we need to know everything." She sensed her friend's hesitancy and silently pleaded with her.
"She killed the leader of a pack of vampires. Now they're after her. It's why she needed the Colt."
She put a hand over her mouth, horrified. "Oh my God," Sarah whispered, "how many are after her?"
Sam shook his head, looking at the floor for a moment.
"At least seven. Maybe more." Her voice was quiet and she avoided looking at Sam.
"She can't fight all of them alone," he replied, still gazing at the floor.
Sarah shook her head in agreement, though she never stopped looking at Chloe. "Does Dean know about... this?"
"He knows." She wound her arms around herself and moved to look out the window.
She sighed, glancing at Sam. "And I take it this is a bad thing," she remarked wryly. "She's still in love with Dean, isn't she?"
"Can't blame her there," Chloe said softly.
Grinning, Sarah replied, "Well, when you're with a Winchester, it's unavoidable." She watched the smile form on Sam's face and melted inside.
You got that right, she thought with a faint, sad smile as she leaned her head against the glass.
Sam folded his arms, silently taking in all this information. The blonde looked, if anything, worse off than when she entered the room. "What else is going on?" he asked finally, quietly observing her pale face.
She flinched a little, knowing he was trying very hard to read her mind right then. "Sam..."
"Chloe," he repeated softly. "You have to let us in. I know something's wrong." He glanced at Sarah, worried over what she was hiding.
She closed her eyes, leaning her head against the glass for a moment. "I lived this day before," she whispered.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Sarah's eyes grew wide with surprise: Sam, trying to remain calm, simply looked at Chloe, mentally urging her to continue. What happened? he asked, pushing at her mind again.
She kept the walls up firmly between them, not willing to let him see the things he had in the alternate day. "Let's just say it didn't end well and leave it at that."
He couldn't let it go. Wasn't willing to. He nudged calmly at her mind. "Like what?"
She turned to look at him, her eyes distant. "You don't wanna know."
Feeling a headache coming on, Sarah rubbed her temples gently. "I think you need to let it go, Sam," she whispered, pained by the look on Chloe's face. Whatever secret she was keeping she wasn't going to divulge.
"Maybe I do," he replied, his face turning hard with determination. "Because how can I protect Dean if I don't know what's going on?"
Growing frustrated, Chloe met his eyes. "Because this wasn't a test for you. It's a test for me."
"Test? What test?" Sam looked over at Sarah, who was giving him an irritated glare.
"Sam, let... it... go," she repeated, moving towards Chloe, enveloping her in a tight hug. She wanted to know, but not at the expense of Chloe's distraught state.
She rested her head against Sarah's for a moment, then slowly pulled away, heading for the door.
Sarah watched Chloe leave, understanding the pain she was in. "Chlo," she whispered, "is there anything else we can do to help you out?" She moved back and pushed Sam towards Chloe, giving him a look.
"Duh, Sarah, I'm going with Dean, okay?"
"No," Chloe said quickly, turning around with wide eyes. She couldn't let anything from the alternate day come close to happening again.
"Why not?" he demanded a little harshly. "I'm not going to sit here, twiddling my thumbs, while Dean's out there facing who knows what just to get this damn gun!"
She flinched involuntarily at his tone, keeping her back pressed against the door. "For one, he's already left. Secondly, he's just gonna go get Jo. All right?"
Reaching for his wallet, Sam moved towards the door. "I'll call a cab and follow him. I need to make sure he'll be okay."
Sarah stood there, feeling a little more than helpless, especially since she rarely saw Sam this aggravated.
She grabbed his arm. "You can't," she whispered.
"Why not?" he grunted, surprised at the vice-grip hold she had.
Suddenly a light in Sarah's mind lit up, making her knees quake in fear. "Sam," she whispered in a panicked voice, eyes focused intently on Chloe's frightened face, "please, for the love of God, stay here. Please." She glanced at Sam for a second, then looked back at her friend. Something had happened to Dean, she wondered. She didn't know how she knew: call it gut instinct.
"I need you to trust me," Chloe whispered, tears prickling in her eyes. "Please, Sam."
"It's not about trust," he complained softly, looking at his wife for a moment. "It's about keeping my family safe. All of us. We're supposed to be on vacation, remember?"
Sarah took a determined step towards him. "Then stay with us and we can find something to celebrate while waiting for Dean." She touched his arm firmly, eyes boring into his, unwilling to let him go.
Chloe's expression was pained at his words. "That's what I'm trying to do," she whispered, turning and heading out the door.
Sam watched her leave, letting her go. The moment she was out the door, however, he turned to Sarah. "I'm going after my brother," he stated evenly, ignoring the despairing look in Sarah's eyes.
"What?" she demanded, a little angry that he refused to listen to reason. "No, Sam. *No.* It's just a little thing he's doing, okay?" Fear crept into her heart as she spoke, wondering if something truly would happen again if Sam left them to go after Dean.
"It'll be okay," he said, kissing her forehead and heading for the door.
She reached out a hand, trying to stop him, but he evaded her. She ran to the door after him, but he proved elusive, running quickly down the hall towards the elevator. Knowing she couldn't run after him. Sighing and putting her head against the doorframe, she tossed a thought his way. No, Sam, isn't not going to be okay.
&&&&&
Chloe was already in the hotel lobby when she saw him coming out of the elevator, a surge of frustrated anger and deep weariness settling in her bones. The man was more stubborn than Clark Kent on red Kryptonite. Her face was even as he approached and she watched the surprise flicker over his expression when he spotted her. "I know you too well."
"Won't stop me from going, though," he retorted, determined to follow his brother no matter what. He maneuvered past her, heading for the outside lobby to hail a cab.
"Will seeing your brother die stop you?" Her voice was hard.
He nearly tripped over his feet at her words. "What?" he said, utterly surprised at what she had shouted. Fortunately the lobby was empty, or else people would start asking questions. He turned around, watching her trying to keep from collapsing. "Is that what happened?"
"Yes," she answered, her eyes distant. "It's what I'm trying to keep from happening again, but you won't listen to me."
He sucked in an agitated breath. "It won't happen again." He turned and walked outside, whistling for a cab.
Anger flooding her, she followed him, grabbing his arm and yanking him back from the curb. "You're not going."
"I am, too," he grumbled, pulling away from her. "It's my job, Chloe." He was so intent on looking for a cab that he didn't notice the sheer defeat that crossed her features.
"It's mine too," she whispered. "Do you think there's anything I wouldn't do to keep Dean safe? Anything I wouldn't give up?"
Sam knew there wasn't. She loved Dean completely. Turning around slowly, he gazed at her stricken face. "When you said this was a test for you... what did you mean by that?" he asked carefully.
Drawing in a breath, she closed her eyes. "He died in my arms. I went to the crossroads north of the bar." Her voice was quiet.
Shock flowed through him like a river washing over its banks. "God, please tell me you didn't...." He couldn't finish his statement: his tongue suddenly felt dry and thick with terror.
"When I tried to summon the demon, your mother showed up instead."
Sam blinked. "My... mother?" He felt on the verge of his brain shutting down with all the information he had managed to drag out of him. His mental walls must have dropped, too, because he saw Sarah walk outside looking fiercely upset.
A little breathless, Sarah looked between Sam and Chloe. Feeling awkward and out of place, she just took Sam's hand and squeezed it.
"She told me I had to be the one to save him. That everything depended on it. And then she restarted the day." She drew in a shuddering breath.
Sarah nodded. "And I'd say you've done that, Chloe," she said, giving Sam a meaningful glance. Let Chloe do this, she thought. We need to take care of her, okay?
Sam closed his eyes, trying to wrap his mind around his mother talking to Chloe. "She wasn't... a demon in disguise, was she?"
"No," she said softly, winding her arms around herself. "There was no deal. She just said to save him. To do whatever it takes."
He nodded, looking down, feeling slightly ashamed of himself. He was so used to looking after Dean: sometimes he had to remember they weren't alone anymore.
"You wanna get a drink?" Sarah asked Chloe sheepishly. "A non-alcoholic one for me, in any case?"
"No," she said softly. "You guys go ahead." She slowly turned away from them.
"Where are you going?" Sam asked quietly, watching her walk away.
Her mental walls firmly in place, she forced a small smile. "Just on a little walk. I'll be back."
He didn't believe her for a second, but let her leave them. He turned to face Sarah, her dark eyes alive with worry. "Are you okay?"
She didn't answer him, looking at Chloe's retreating figure. She wondered if, one day, that would be her, trying to save Sam. A darkness threatened to settle over her heart. "Can we... never take a vacation again?" she asked absently.
&&&&&
Jo paced the length of the bar nervously, her eyes locked on the clock. It was Midnight and she'd convinced herself that Dean wasn't going to show up.
Taking a deep breath, Dean unrolled out of the driver's seat, locking the Impala before striding quickly to the roadhouse. He still wasn't sure Chloe's suggestion was a good idea, but if it meant getting his hands on the Colt... Well, he was willing to do just about anything.
"Jo," he called quietly, walking through the dimly lit, empty bar.
She turned, startled at his voice, surprise registering on her face. "Hi." Her eyes were guarded, uncertain.
He cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Uh, hey." He shut the door behind him and moved towards the counter.
She watched him for a moment, then reached beneath the bar and set the Colt on the counter, remaining silent.
For a moment, he glanced at her, cocking an eyebrow. His fingers touched the cold barrel, closing around it slowly. "Still got the bullet?" he asked quietly.
"It's in there," she said just as quietly.
He nodded, taking the Colt and hiding it in his jacket. He turned around, saying, "Let's go."
Jo was silent for a moment. "No. Good luck."
"No, come on," he protested, turning around with a frustrated growl. "I've already had to contend with one stubborn woman. Don't make my day any worse."
A faint smile touched her lips. "Yeah. About that. She's not so bad after all."
He smiled, thinking of Chloe. How she was waiting for him. "Yeah, she's better than I am," he admitted quietly. He looked at her squarely. "And she'll never talk to me again if I go back without you."
Surprise flickered over her features. "If I go with you...I'll be putting all four of you at risk."
"In case you haven't guessed," Dean said, chuckling knowingly, "we're always at risk." He gave her a pointed look.
A smile tugged at her lips and she looked down at the bar for a moment. "I don't suppose there's any chance you're heading to South Dakota."
Dean smirked. "You want to go home?"
She shot him a look. "We all gotta go home sometime."
"Been there, done that," he replied with a snort, glancing at the door. "We haven't seen Ellen in awhile, so might as well head that way." He moved towards the door.
Drawing in a breath, she grabbed her bag from beneath the counter and followed him. She had a feeling it was going to be a long trip.
&&&&&
The ride back to the hotel was long and awkward, and by the time Jo left to get her own room for the night, Dean's nerves were stretched to the breaking point. He couldn't wait for the elevator, so he took the stairs, two and three at a time, anxious to see the people he loved again. The only thing keeping him from breaking was the Colt, which still had the bullet.
Yanking the stairway door open, he jogged to the room he shared with Chloe, only to find her gone. He looked around, heading for Sam's door, pounding frantically.
Relief washed over Sam as he found his brother safe and sound on his doorstep. "Oh thank God."
Dean smirked at him. "No, thank Dean," he retorted, heading into the room and nodding at Sarah. "Because look what I have." He pulled out the gun and handed it to his brother.
"That's it?" she whispered quietly from her seat in the corner.
Sam took the Colt from him, staring at it for a long moment. "Jo?"
"She's... downstairs, getting a room for the night." He rubbed a hand over his face. "She wants to go back to South Dakota."
It took Sarah a moment to comprehend what Dean was saying. "Oh," she said finally, "back to the roadhouse?"
"She's finally ready to go home," Sam murmured, slowly moving to sit down on the bed.
Dean nodded, frowning a little. "If I floor it, we could make there in a couple of days..." He stopped when his brother gave him a look. "What?"
"Nothing," he said softly, gazing at him intently.
"You're such a liar, Sam Winchester," Sarah replied, standing up and heading for the door. "Don't you know Dean can't handle two women at once?" She winked at Dean, grateful to see him alive and in one piece, then headed for the door. "I'm going to see if Jo needs anything."
"Yeah, good idea." Sam rose to his feet, watching her head out the door.
Dean rolled his eyes. "I can too handle two women at once,” he grumbled, sitting heavily into a chair. He was tired, he thought, wondering where Chloe was. "Man, this vacation sucked."
"Could have been a lot worse," he said solemnly.
Dean noticed the look on Sam's face but said nothing. Whatever his brother was ruminating about, it would just have to wait. "Where's Chloe?" he asked. "She's not in our room."
"She went for a walk." His voice was soft and he couldn't take his eyes off his brother.
He shot up out of his seat. "A walk? Where the hell did she go at this time of night?" He looked over at Sam and frowned. "Dude, don't go chick flick on me, okay?"
"Right. Sorry. Jerk." A small smile touched his lips.
"Bitch," he replied with a small, confused smile. He briefly wondered what had happened today to make Sam go all maudlin, but he decided to leave things as they were. Reading his brother's mind was the last thing he wanted to do. Right now, at least. "So you gonna tell me where she went or not?"
"I don't know," he admitted. "But if I had to guess...the beach would probably be a good place to look."
"The beach. That's such a chick thing to do," he grumbled, heading towards the door quickly. "Can you and Sarah make sure Jo's okay?"
"Yeah, of course. Dean?"
"Yeah, Sammy?"
Sam gazed at him intently for a minute. "She's had a rough day."
"I'm not gonna be hard on her," Dean replied with a frown. "What happened today?"
A sad smile touched his face. "You'll have to ask her."
Should I is the question, he thought, giving his brother a questioning look. "Don't wait up for us." He crooked a smile, disappearing into the hallway.