Rebirth \\A Supernatural Spinoff// [2018 Watty Award Winner]

Twenty-Four - In Defense of Desperation

Twenty-Four – In Defense of Desperation

"So many unused rooms, so much wasted potential."

Dean decided to give Jo a tour of the halls. A lot of the doors were closed and rooms unused. She had a familiar path to her room, bathroom, kitchen, and of course the war room and library, but that was as far as her knowledge went.

"We don't have enough time to redecorate," said Dean. "This isn't exactly good renting space, either."

They found themselves in the kitchen, to which Dean went to the fridge. Jo snatched the beer he grabbed, and she gave him a playful, taunting look. They both sat at the table, drinking sips alternately in silence. Jo could feel how weird this was for Dean, because she felt it herself. The last time she had seen Dean Winchester (when she was alive, at least, not a ghost) was just before she died of Hellhound inflicted wounds. In her dying moments, they had had a teary goodbye, followed by the only kiss she had ever gotten from him. Despite being in obscene amounts of pain, and knowing that her mom would die with her, the kiss had been a comforting thought for Jo. It had made her passing a little easier, despite the heaviness of the situation.

Clearly, Lucifer hadn't gotten away with the apocalypse, otherwise she wouldn't be here. Her death had meant something, it had done something. For that, she was grateful.

"Okay, this is just weird," Jo blurted out.

"Mhm," said Dean through another swig of beer.

Jo wrapped her hands around the half-empty bottle. "What'd I miss?"

"We stopped Lucifer. A lot of worse shit came after the stop of the apocalypse. We've lost some good people."

"Any that I'd know?"

"Bobby."

Jo's mouth dropped. "No, not Bobby. Not him."

Dean sighed heavily. "Yeah, him. Nasty son of a bitch took him out."

"I'm sorry to hear that." One more hunter claimed by the life. Though she wanted to mourn, Jo didn't feel this was the appropriate time.

"We got few reprieves."

"Reprieves, that's a big word for you."

Dean rolled his eyes. "How's your mom doing?"

"I, uh...we haven't ran into each other since we died. I got my separate Heaven, and I guess she got hers, whatever that is." Jo frowned. "I guess it's one where I don't exist, because otherwise I'd be there with her."

"Don't think like that, Jo. Maybe she's got you in there, just a younger you, maybe before you started hunting."

"I feel like I can't remember a time before hunting. Can you?"

"Sometimes I can. I'm sorry for hurting your shoulder."

Jo rolled her healed wound. "You weren't you, some prick demon was in the driver's seat."

"I saw it, I saw me do it. I felt better when I saw you next, even if I was trying to kill you. It...the demon went through my head, Jo. It knew..."

"What? Did it peek in and see the one and only kiss we had before I bit it?"

Dean looked a bit startled by how nonchalant she sounded. "It figured out you meant something to me. It knew Charlie did, too, but you were closer."