Date: June 19, 2012
City: On The Road
State: On The Road
Synopsis: Jo and Ellen engage in some mother/daughter talke


It was early; the sun was barely up, but they'd wanted an early start. The Harvelles were heading to Bobby's house for the first time since their collective resurrections. He had been out of town until recently, and this was the kind of conversation you had in person. But now that he was back and forewarned by the Winchesters, it was time to make up some lost friendships.

Ellen was driving, so Jo made herself comfortable in the front seat, propping her feet up on the dash. She probably could go back to sleep if she really wanted to, but she was a little of a morning person. Once she was up, she was up. Besides, she had a Styrofoam cup of coffee steaming in the cup holder. Jo would do a lot for a crappy cup of coffee, let alone a good one.

She had a newspaper spread out on her knees, ostentatiously looking for a job. There wasn't much suspicious going on, in this or the past couple towns she'd picked up papers in. Which wasn't surprising, given the nearness to Bobby's. He probably kept his neck of the woods pretty neat and monster free. Still, she wouldn't be a very good hunter if she didn't keep her eyes open.

"I wonder if Bobby's tan," she mused to her mother. "If I were out of the country for several months, I'd come back tan." Jo glanced over at her mom, giving her a teasing grin. "What do you think, Mom? Would Bobby look good with a tan?"

Ellen, like a good driver, had her eyes on the road. But seeing as she was also a mother, woman, and didn't care much to obey the rules, she had a coffee cup in her right hand, held up to the bottom of her lower lip. The coffee was still a little too hot to drink but the steam sifting out of the tiny sip hole felt good as it rolled up and against her skin. They should be at Bobby's soon enough and she hoped word from the Winchester boys and her gift of whiskey would keep her from having to take a shot of holy water. Though, if it didn't, she could always steal back the gift to wash it all down.

She side-glanced her daughter as she asked how Bobby would look tan. She ignored the question with a slight shake of her head and decided that one good turn deserved another. “We both know you couldn't tan if your life depended on it, Jo.” Ellen said, returning the teasing smirk with one of her own.

As she thought about it though, Ellen really was looking forward to seeing Bobby. They had established an odd sort of friendship. Plus, they had some things in common. Specifically being ornery parental figures to a bunch of kids who didn't know better and never listened. Yeah. It would be great to sit down and have a drink with Bobby again.

“Anything?” Ellen asked, referring to the paper Jo was reading. It wasn't that she was hoping for a job but if Jo saw one they'd probably have to look into it. She really just wanted to get them to Bobby's and relax for a bit before having to worry about anything else. At least for now.

Jo chuckled under her breath when her mother turned her good-natured ribbing around on her. "Point," she conceeded. Jo had always had skin that would make a southern belle jealous. Even when she tried, she never tanned. Or freckled, for that matter. The only color she tended to pick up was pink. Not a trait she had inherited from her mother, who tanned easy and often, so she didn't try and poke back.

She did notice that Ellen avoided answering her question though.

"Hmm? Oh," Jo looked up at her mom, then back down at the paper in her lap. "Not a thing. Nothing suspicious, weird, or spooky this whole trip. It'd be creepy how normal everything is if we weren't so close to Bobby's." She cut her eyes over to her mom, giving her another mischievious grin.

"Speaking of Bobby," Jo brought the conversation back around. "I'm glad he is back. All this weird stuff lately, like that chimera and these hybrids. I feel better with another person we can count on back with us."

She folded up the paper and tucked it in the door pocket. Reaching into her pocket, she withdrew her phone and checked for messages. Finding none, she slid it back into her pocket and picked up her coffee cup.

"Do you want to stay up at Bobby's a couple days? Have some down time?"

“Mm.” Ellen nodded in agreement to Jo's comment about everything being so normal close to Bobby's. It was the same when they had the Roadhouse up and running and that was just the way Ellen liked it. She noticed Jo's look and sighed. This kid always loved pushing her buttons. She took a slow sip of her coffee as her daughter continued.

“Always good to have allies.” Ellen commented with another slow sip. She placed the cup in its holder. She contemplated quietly for a few moments. “Might be nice to settle for a spell.” Ellen said offhandedly. “At least we know at Bobby's we'd be safer there than anywhere else.” It felt like she had been on the move ever since she found out Jo was alive. Even more so since they had reunited. It was great to be back with her girl but rest? Yes. Some rest sounded good right now.

“Besides, I'm sure it would do us and especially Bobby some good to have a real home cooked meal...” she said softly, not taking her eyes off the road knowing that Jo would have a face for her current comments. “Man must be nothing but whiskey soaked skin and bones...”

Now, wanting to get the conversation off of Bobby, Ellen decided it was as good a time as any to bring up some things she had been wanting to ask Jo now that they were in a relaxed environment and, more importantly, Jo had nowhere to run. “So... you mentioned some details about you being brought back, but most important that the one who did was little Jimmy Ruger.” she smiled. “You didn't mention anything else about him. How does he look all grown up?”

Jo nodded, thinking how long they'd been on the move. The last time they'd been anywhere for more than it took to do a job and leave town, it had been when she'd broken her arm in Detroit and had had to wait for Castiel to get on his feet and fix her up. Jo loved life on the road, but sometimes you needed to take time for things that weren't the job. Besides, she knew it wasn't really what Ellen had had in mind for her life, for all that she was good at it.

She grinned widely when her mom brought up home cooked meals and showed concern for how little of it Bobby must be getting. “Mhmm,” was all she said, however.

Jo sipped at her coffee, making an interested sound when Ellen brought up her return. She had told her the basics back when they'd first been reunited but hadn't really wanted to get into everything. At first she thought Ellen just wanted to rehash things, but she soon realized the point.

Jo leveled a look at her mother. Okay, she suppose she deserved that, for all the ribbing remarks about Bobby. “He looks like he looks the last time you saw him. Except taller. I'll tell him you missed him, if you like..”

Ellen didn't exactly see “the look” that Jo threw at her at the mention of Jim Ruger but boy did she feel it. Like a kick in the head that one was and it sure did make Ellen's smile grow all the larger. At Jo's smart remark, Ellen, while keeping her eyes on the road, gave a contemplative look and gentle nod. “Yes, please do. Tell him he is missed and he needs to come spend time so we can all get reacquainted.” Ellen quipped. “Maybe he can spend some quality time and hunt with us a bit. Both your father and his would now and again. They're pretty good at what they do, those Rugers.” Ellen chuckled softly to herself. “Or so I'm told... what do ya think?” she asked, tossing Jo a glance.

Now, it's not that she was pushing... Well, perhaps just a little bit of a nudge, but can you really blame her? Her daughter was in her mid-twenties for Pete’s sake. By this time, Ellen already had a toddler and Jo didn't even have a boyfriend. Ellen knew Jimmy at least, and his family. If anything they had a lot in common. In fact, when the two were children, Ellen thought they might end up being together despite Jimmy being older than Jo. Though that didn't bother Ellen so much seeing as her Bill was a bit older than she was as well.

“And how exactly was he able to bring you back anyway? You never really gave me too many details...”

Jo caught the smile Ellen wasn't even trying to hide and sighed. They'd been here before. Well, not about men, specifically. But with things Ellen wanted for Jo that Jo didn't. First it had been being a normal teenager instead of learned the hunter trade, then college instead of taking cases. Now evidently it was men. It wasn't really a surprise; Jo had been waiting for it ever since her cousin had gotten married four years ago.

“I'll tell him, and he'll probably come hunting with us, but you're barking up the wrong tree,” Jo told her mother rather bluntly. “He's definitely good at hunting, but that smile of yours, implying things,” Jo twirled a finger at her mother's face in illustration, “not my area. Besides, he asked me for a friend's phone number a couple of weeks ago. So if she hasn't eaten him alive yet, I think he stands a decent chance.” Not that Jo really cared if she screwed up Bela's life; in fact, the more she could do it, the more fun it was. But Jim was pretty much her best friend, and screwing up his in order to screw up Bela's was very, very not cool.

Jo tucked her hair behind her ear and shrugged. “I told you, he used this really old Native American thing. It's not a big deal.” She paused a beat, staring out the window, then decided if anyone deserved to know, it was her mom. “Dad gave it to the Rugers before he died. For me, in case anything ever happened to me. Guess he knew I'd follow in his footsteps and would need it.”

Ellen couldn't help herself but did her best to stifle a laugh as Jo waved a finger at her mother's smiles and implications. “Yeah, I know... you and Jimmy were more like siblings than anythin else, really.” She was quiet for a moment before turning to Jo , taking her eyes off the road for only a brief moment. Knowing she would regret bringing it up, she said it anyway. “Charley is happily married AND huntin.” She sighed. “Really though, Jo. Would it kill you to go on a date? I want you to be happy and, ya shouldn't be alone...”

“Well, I'm glad your daddy saw fit to leave things in the right hands.” she says. “I'm grateful to Jimmy for helpin ya, too. I'm gonna have to thank that boy somehow.” Ellen frowned. She wondered why her husband didn't trust her with this whole thing. Then again, it wasn't like it would have mattered. Ellen died alongside Jo. If Ellen were in charge of the thing, there would have been no point.

Thinking about her husband made Ellen sad. She decided to go back to the initial conversation. “So... no prospects at all?” she asks. “Just been huntin with those boys?”

There it was.

"Charley also eloped after four days with a guy she barely knew," Jo fired back. "She's lucky he wasn't a serial killer." Not that she had anything against Rory; the guy was great and treated her cousin like a queen while still letting her do her thing. But guys like that, who could handle the way the Harvelle girls were fiercely independent and reckless and all the other little things guys tended to think of as flaws that Jo saw as strengths... well they weren't exactly around every corner.

"Mom, I just WENT on a date four days ago," Jo said defensively. "And why can't I be happy alone?" she asked. "What's wrong with that, huh? And, you know, I'm not even alone, okay. I've got you, and Charley's always just a phone call away, and I've got a bunch of friends that I take time off to hang out with. Just last week, Dean and I went for pie and didn't talk about the job the whole time. So you can stop worrying about my whole life being about hunting, okay?"

Jo sighed when Ellen brought the conversation back around. "And what's wrong with the Winchesters?" she asked indulgently.

“And yet they are still married and happy.” Ellen said. She lifted a hand showing four fingers. “Four years. Four. That's a lot for a hunter. Especially with the amount of happy those two have... It's enough to make one jealous.” She paused, thinking and knowing that she should call Charley herself. Her niece probably thought the worse when the two Harvelle women fell off the grid. “At least, as far as I know...” Ellen said, softening her demeanor. “Have you spoken to Charley since you've come back?” she asks, bringing a bit of a change of subject.

Woah wait. Emergency brake on the thinking. Back up. “You had a date??” Ellen asked in disbelief. “With who?”

Ellen glanced over at Jo when she asked what was wrong with the Winchesters. “Nothin's wrong with em... they just...” Ellen paused, trying to find words that wouldn't make Jo strangle her. “They attract a lot more trouble than the normal hunter. Ya know? It's good to take a break now and then... Those boys, you know I love em. I just... I want better for you.” Ellen's face fell in thought. She didn't want her daughter dying young. Again. Jo had a second chance and Ellen would hate for it to not work out for the long haul.

Plus... there was that other thing. Ellen hated it but it was the truth. “I aint gonna be around forever baby girl...” she sighed. “I just want more for you.”

"Yeah, Mom, that's great for Charley." Jo's face looked like she was literally biting her tongue. She didn't want to be disparaging about her cousin's marriage, but they also weren't the same people and the things that made her happy might not be the same things that make Jo happy.

"Uh, yeah," Jo assured her, slightly thrown by the change in subject, but glad for it. "I called her and let her know what was up back when I was first back. We should probably call her and let her know about you though. Things have been so busy that I forgot."

Jo sighed. "Yeah, Mom, I had a date. I do that sometimes, you know. Just because I don't want to be married right now doesn't mean I'm a nun." She was definitely getting a little too sassy with Ellen, but that wasn't unusual. Jo paused when she asked who with, then answered, "Castiel," like she was daring her mother to comment.

The younger Harvelle faced her window when Ellen started talking about just why the Winchesters weren't appropriate travel companions. She didn't really want to have this conversation again, even though she'd opened herself up to it. The last time had shaken up her view of the world and while she'd dealt with that, it wasn't a time she looked back on fondly.

"I thought you liked them," she shot back, looking over at her mom. "And it's not like I spend all my time with them. I just..." She trailed off and turned back to look out the window. After a couple beats Jo added, "They're good to me, Mama. If this is just you blaming them for what happened to me, you just stop it. I went back and I wasn't looking... and I'm the one who made the decision."

Jo sighed again. "Please, you're going to out live all of us," she half joked, then turned slightly serious. "Look, Mom, it's not like I don't want some of those things for myself too. Okay? I just... I'm not going to settle, I'm going to pick. And if it takes me a while to open up my heart to someone who meets my ...pretty high standards," she laughed, "then I'm okay with standing on my own in the mean time."

“Good. Remind me to do that when we settle into Bobby's...” She said, regarding calling Jo's cousin. “You told I had... you know?” Ellen asked, hating when the words of her and Jo's death's escaped her mouth. It just made her uncomfortable to think about it. It was even worse having to think she would have to die again.

“...Castiel?! Oh Jo... Ya've GOT to be kidding me...” Ellen sighed. It was Cas that had brought her back to earth not that long ago. Her eyes widened with the realization. She pulled over and looked at Jo. No, she stared at Jo. She was the reason Cas brought her back. That damned angel had a thing for his little girl and was using Ellen to solidify things. “Please tell me you didn't sleep with him.” Ellen begged.

“I do like them!” Ellen defended. “I love those boys like my own, you know that.” she grumbled. It was true. She really did care about those Winchesters boys. For all the trouble they were worth, they were good kids and Ellen cared about them. “It's not that, Jo.” Ellen sighed deeply. “I just don't want your life cut short... again.” she frowned.

Ellen scoffed at Jo as she said she would outlive everyone. “Pft. Please. I aint going to outlive all of ya. I refuse it...” she says softly. “I don't want to bury my children...” she said, lowering her head.

Looking away as Jo began her attempts to ease Ellen's mind, the older woman looked out the window. She smiled when Jo laughed. Ellen kept her eyes off her daughter for quite a while. She wanted her to be happy but the girl was too much like her. She was just so damned stubborn. With a nod she finally conceded. “Alright, Jo. If you say so.”

Jo nodded her agreement to remind Ellen to do that, then shrugged. "Yeah, I did," she confirmed. You didn't lie to family, in her opinion. At least not about big things. And their deaths had been pretty huge. "But I told her about me too, so it probably won't come as a shock."

To say Ellen's reaction surprised Jo was an understatement. "What is wrong with Cas?" she asked defensively. "He's very nice and respectful, and you're the one who was just saying I need to date more." Jo shot her mother a questioning look when she slowed, then stopped, the car. Really, they had to pull over to talk about Jo's pitiful excuse for a love life? She rolled her eyes, then got another shock. "Mother!!" Jo's voice rose in frequency, looking at Ellen with surprise that melted into "oh hell no." "I really don't think it's okay for you to ask questions like that. Whether I did or not, or will or won't - that's my business, not yours."

Jo conceded that her mom did care about the Winchesters. She'd never treated them with anything but, unless they deserved it. Actually, more than they deserved it. "Mom, I'm a hunter. That would have happened to me Winchesters or no."

"I do say so," Jo said firmly, then reached over to take her mom's hand. "Believe me, I'm happy with my life. Especially now that I've got you back. But when the day comes that I want to add a guy to it to make it even better? Trust me, I'll tell you and you can be the first to rub it in my face."

Ellen chuckled. “A loved one coming back from the dead is always a shock.” Ellen came back with. “It doesn't matter who or when or any of that...” Ellen found herself wishing she could have her Bill back. She looked in the mirror. He may not feel the same returning to an Ellen that was 20 years older.

Castiel. Ugh. Ellen was still sore with him for keeping so many secrets from her. “Cas is... you can't go out with him.” she says, then realizing that it sounded like she was telling Jo what to do, she sighed. “I don't mean like that. I just mean... The man who he's inside. It's not fair to him.” she says. Ellen looked at Jo flatly as she pretty much explained that it wasn't any of her business whether Jo slept with Cas. “You can't have a future with him, Jo... If you want to just have some fun, that's all well and good. But there are other ways, better ways. Better... men.” she explained.

“Not necessarily.” Ellen said sadly when Jo said that would have happened to her either way. Who knows. If it weren't for the Winchesters, Ellen and Jo may not have died. She didn't blame the Winchesters per say. They weren't directly responsible but they were a factor. Ellen decided to let the subject drop.

Ellen looked down at her hand as Jo reached for it. She turned her hand and squeezed her daughter's fingers. It made her smile when Jo said she was happy. She nods, and smiles at her comment about when and if Jo finds a man. “Alright. I guess I can agree with that.” she said softly. “But I won't rub it in your face.” Ellen smiles. “I'd be happy for you, you know that.” She looks into Jo's eyes and smiles wide. “Well, maybe I'd rub it in a little.” she said cheekily.

Jo's eyebrows shot up. "Oh, I can't?" she asked her mom, the challenge plain in her voice. Considering all the things they fight over, who Jo should or shouldn't date usually wasn't one of them. Ellen tended to just keep a hawk's eye on her, and Jo thought she probably threatened guys she didn't approve of when Jo wasn't around. She rolled her eyes at her mother's logic.

"Because between taking a night off to take me on a date and getting stabbed, shot, and blown up, he'd definitely mind the first one?" she asked, though it was retoric. Actually, she hadn't really thought about it. Americe had told her that the vessels consent to whatever the angels want to use them for, so she wasn't really worried about it now that it was coming up. She rolled her eyes again when Ellen went on about her objections.

"Look, Mom, I'm not planning on a future with an angel, okay? I completely get how that is not an option," she assured her. "But Cas is nice and a friend and I wasn't going to not have a nice time with him because it wasn't going to go anywhere. Christ, I'd never date again if I did that." She didn't get the exception Ellen was taking to Cas. The only time she'd ever seen them interact, they were getting along. Of course, she also wanted to see Jo settle down with someone, and since that wasn't going to happen with an angel, maybe it was just that she was objecting to. Jo decided not to make it into an issue. "Who would you suggest?" she asked instead.

"Mom, if you think I would have been anywhere other than trying to kill the devil during the Apocalypse, you don't know me as well as you think," she observed.

Jo laughed for the first time since this conversation started. "Yeah, bet you do," she agreed. Tucking her hair behind her ear, Jo bit her lip, then decided to go for it. "You know, Mom, you deserve to be happy too. Dad's been gone almost twenty years. I don't think he'd mind if you found someone that makes you happy again."

“You know what I mean.” Ellen huffed at the sound of Jo's voice. She wasn't really telling Jo what to do here. Oh, who was she kidding. At this point, Ellen would and should be happy to be hear about Jo's dating. It was just the fact that it was Cas and now her own feeling on why he brought her back in the first place that got Ellen's feather's all ruffled up. Jo began to rant and Ellen leaned back in her chair with a sigh. She really didn't want to argue with Jo. Not now, not ever.

But at least Jo was being adult about it. At least she understood that nothing could ever really happen with the angel. Her ears perked up and her face crunched in confusion when Jo asked who Ellen would suggest. Now that was new. Maybe it's a trick question. Yes. Definitely a trick question. Now, no matter who Ellen would throw at her, Jo would come back at her mother with the reason why that was an impossible or stupid suggestion. She was doing this on purpose but Ellen figured she should just go along.

“I don't know, Jo.” Ellen shook her head. “When you were little all I wanted was for you ta find someone that could make you happy... but now?” Ellen gave her daughter a once over. “You need someone who can not only keep up with ya, but put up with ya to boot...” She crossed her arms and looked thoughtfully out the window. “If you want some names then I'll give 'em to ya...” Ellen knew that since Jo insisted on being a hunter then her significant other should really be a hunter as well. It only made sense. At least on her end. “Hmm... you said you weren't into Jimmy Ruger... He wouldn't be a bad catch.” She said offhandedly. Ellen turned to Jo finally. “Does it even really matter? Someone, anyone! A real someone. Go be with Dean if that's what you really want.” Ellen took a calming breath. “Just... I think it should be a hunter or similar. Someone you can be with often and who understands the life.”

At Jo's comment about her father being gone for so long and him probably wanting Ellen to find someone and be happy, Ellen looked at Jo silently for a few moments, lips pressed tight together in thought. She shook her head and turned back to the wheel, finally pulling the car back onto the road and continued their drive. Ellen kept her silence. She wondered if that was true, and if it were she wondered if Jo was right that she could ever find someone again.

Jo really was kind of curious about the kind of man her mom would pick for her, but didn't really expect it to necessarily line up with her own goals and desires. They had a difference of opinions on the way Jo spent her non-romantic time, so why not this too. She surprised her, however, by saying the first quality he should have was being able to keep up with her. Maybe they weren't as different as they used to be.

She chuckled when Ellen brought up Jim again. "I know he's a catch, he's my best friend." Jim and Jo made a lot of sense, if you didn't take the general destructive way of life Jo had into things. He'd been watching her back since she could crawl, and he was already practically part of the family anyway. They say girls tended to marry their fathers, and Jim was one of the few people Jo would honor by saying he was anything like Bill Harvelle. She admired and even loved Jim in a lot of ways. But Jo wasn't so messed up in the head that she'd wait around until he'd asked her for another girl's number to suddenly decide she was IN love with him. She had more self-preservation than that.

Jo shrugged when her mom asked if it mattered who she though. Not really, but she still had wanted to ask. Like in all things, Jo would date who and when she wanted, but there was still a part of her that needed her mom, wanted her opinion. Her eyes jerked back out the window when Ellen said Dean's name and prayed she wouldn't blush. Unlike Jim, who had been her friend so long that they couldn't NOT talk about it occasionally, that was a subject she had ever really talked to Ellen about. Of course, her mother had EYES and Jo had been about as subtle as a bag of bricks in those early days of wistful flirtations over a beer at the Roadhouse and then there was that whole last night on earth/goodbye kiss thing, but all that was entirely different than being with someone. Jo's feelings on that matter were so jumbled she didn't know heads from tails when she tried to decipher them. That self-preservation thing tended to convince her it was easier to just not examine things too closely and let things stay status quo for the time being.

"Yeah, I think so too, Mom." Jo shrugged. "It's just... less stressful and more enjoyable to spend my time with people who are hunters. But it kind of limits the dating pool. One situation in which patience is definitely a virtue," she laughed.

Jo didn't mean to make her mother sad, but she'd really needed to say it. Ellen had spent most of her life since Bill's death taking care of Jo and she thought that she deserved someone to take care of her now. She let the silence stretch a couple of minutes before speaking again. "You know, not every guy who came into the Roadhouse had eyes for the blond waitress. In fact, I'd be willing to bet most of them were too busy checking out the hot owner to notice."

“Best friend.” Ellen smiled at the words. “I'm glad you have one, Jo. Jim is a good kid, really. I could pick very few who I would choose to care for and look after you. I'm glad your daddy felt the same way. He made the right choice.” Ellen said nothing during Jo's silence. She seemed to be thinking hard on Ellen's words. Though Ellen wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

“I understand.” She nodded. “I just, I dunno Jo. I want more for you... Maybe I'm just being a greedy Mom.” Ellen says softly.

Ellen drove through the silence, not even glancing at Jo. Her mind was still running through the idea. When Jo spoke, Ellen managed to crack a small smile. “Oh Jo... You know better than I do that that's not true... Nobody wants a bitter old crone like me.” she said half playfully.

She continued to drive, wanting desperately to change the conversation. Letting her eyes wander, she spotted something at Jo's feet, realizing what it was. “Speaking of the Roadhouse...” she said, nodding her chin in the direction of the floor on the passenger side. “Mike was able to send me a copy of the blueprints we drew up. They're down by your feet there in that tube.”

Ellen smiled and glanced over at Jo as she bent over to grab the cardboard tube that held the blueprints for their new Roadhouse when... Wait. Was that. No... Ellen looked again, taking a better look at Jo's slightly exposed lower back. Oh... hell no.

“Joanna Beth Harvelle, what the hell is that on your ass??”

Jo shook her head, refusing to let Ellen get away with self-deprecation. "Mom, please. You're totally hot and always have been. Do you remember that parent teacher conference when I was thirteen? Four of my teachers asked me to give you their numbers, remember. One of whom was a woman." She grinned over at Ellen, tongue in cheek. "I bet Bobby agrees with me."

She sipped at her coffee, eyebrows lifting over the rim of the cup when her mother brought up the Roadhouse again. They were planning on rebuilding it, and Jo knew that Ellen had been working with some contractors, but hadn't known she actually had blueprints. "Things must be moving along well then," she commented happily. She was glad that they were getting their home back, even if she did like life on the road.

Jo replaced her coffee cup in the holder and leaned forward to grab the tube rolling around in the floor boards. Her fingers had just closed around it when Ellen suddenly used her full name in that sharp tone of hers. Shit.

Jo popped back upright in her seat, hiding the incriminating view of her back. Damn it, she'd been really careful since getting her mother back to not let her catch a glimpse of that damn tattoo. Which was actually pretty hard, considering it's placement and the way she usually dressed and the close living nature of hunting. She hadn't thought her shirt would ride up that much, however.

"It's not on my ass, it's on my back," Jo said defensively. There wasn't a whole lot of distinction, with how far down it was, but she was adamant that she had NOT gotten a Winchester's name on her ass. Though a tramp stamp wasn't a whole lot better.

"It's a tattoo," she admitted, but was quick to add, "but don't freak out. I'm getting it removed. Another laser treatment and it'll be gone, I just haven't had time to go lately." She'd started them as soon as she could after discovering the tattoo, but with the way she traveled it's not like she got them on a set schedule. At this point it was faded quite a lot, but evidently not enough escape Ellen's eagle eye.

“That's only because at thirteen you were more trouble than they could handle.” Ellen shot back playfully. She scoffed when Jo brought up Bobby again. “Bobby. Pft. What does he know?” She sighed. “That man can be more trouble than he's worth...” She grumbled. “I mean, he's knowledgeable... and comes in handy from time to time. He's a good hunter... I mean, I guess he's alright if you weigh the good and the bad, I just...” She side-glanced Jo and shut her mouth right then and there. Talking about Bobby would only encourage her daughter.

“Ass, back, who cares! It's there.” Ellen growled. “How could I not freak out? You have one of those trashy tattoo's on your ass.” She was a little disappointed but not at all surprised, really. Jo had always been rebellious. Maybe this was just another way for her to act out against her mother. She had thought she raised Jo a little better than that though. “When did you do that? And for God's sake, why?” Ellen really wanted to pull the car over again but decided it best not to go overboard twice in one sitting. Besides, Ellen thought she might wring Jo's neck for this one. “What is it?” She asked firmly. “What's it say?”

Ellen thought for half a moment. “This wasn't some kind of dumb, young, 'I'm still alive so I'm going to run out and get a tattoo', thing is it? Because seriously Jo? I mean, I don't know all the details but still. I'd rather you went out and got sloshed.”

Jo grinned obnoxiously when her mom started talking about Bobby. Honestly, she wasn't sure if the regard she knew they had for one another was more than respect or friendship. She'd be surprised if Ellen even knew; her mom was pretty good at denying things like being a woman as well as a mom. Mostly she just wanted to let Ellen know, though, that if there WAS more than that there, she would be pretty okay with it. Bobby was a good man; he'd treat her like she deserved to be. And he was smart enough to know what would happen if he didn't.

She knew that there was no chance of Ellen not freaking out, but had kind of hoped to forestall some of the explosion a little bit. No such luck. "Mom!" Jo gave her a bitch-face expression. Rather than try to explain herself while Ellen was still asking questions and throwing a fit, she stared out the windshield with a pissy attitude.

"God, Mom!" she reacted at last. "I'm 27, not 17. It wasn't a dumb rebellious thing, okay?" Jo sighed. She was going to have to tell the whole stupid story. "Just relax, okay, and I'll tell you about it." Before she told her what it said. That was the most embarrassing part.

"Back at the end of March, I was on this hunt with my friend Parker and we ran into the Winchesters. I guess it was a successful hunt because we went out for a drink after. Only thing is none of us remember anything between getting to town and the next morning. See, a trickster was in the bar and recognized as as hunters. She thought she'd have a little fun with us and spiked our drinks with some kind of magic drug that made us act ...drunk and high, I guess. We spent the whole rest of the night acting like idiots, none of which we remember. We had to piece it together the next day. Like that ridiculous movie. When I woke up the next morning - in the Winchester's bathtub - I had this tattoo." Jo paused, giving Ellen time to react to the story.

"Like I said, I'm getting it removed," she reassured her. "I didn't want a tattoo even in my worst rebellious phase, and even if I did, I'd get something practical like an anti-possession tattoo."

Ellen really didn't care HOW old Jo was. It didn't matter. She was still her mom and she could pitch a fit about her daughter getting a bad tattoo if she damned well pleased. She opened her mouth her argue when Jo said she'd tell her the story of how it happened. “Fine. Tell me.” she said, making a face that Jo would know well as Ellen's 'this outta be good' mom face.

She listened quietly as Jo spoke of the hunt and the bar. When she mentioned the trickster, Ellen sighed. If anything she should apologize. At least it wasn't completely Jo's fault. “Ridiculous movie...” Ellen said softly, trying to think of what Jo was talking about. It wasn't like Ellen ran out every week to see the new releases. Though now that she thought about it, it really had been a couple of forevers since Ellen had taken the time to actually sit down and watch a movie. “Wait. Woke up in their... Jesus Jo!”

With a shake of her head, Ellen slouched into the drivers seat. “An anti-possession tattoo I wouldn't have been so worked up over...” she stole a glance at Jo and grinned. “Well, maybe a little.”

After a small laugh and a few moments of silence, Ellen looked at Jo again. “So... are ya gonna tell me what it is?” she finally asked. “Or am I gonna have to drag it out of ya?”

"Not like taking a bath in their bath tub," Jo was click to clarify. "I had all my clothes, we weren't THAT messed up. I actually took blankets and pillows in there to make a little bed. It was pretty decent, and way better then the alternative," she laughed. "You remember Parker?" Jo had told Ellen all about her friend and sometimes partner before the girl had passed away. "She woke up UNDER Sam. Not in a sexual way. More like he fell down and couldn't get up and she was just trapped."

Jo shook her head. "You'd still freak," she rebutted, sounding sure of that. "But I like the charm just fine, don't worry. Sure it can be removed, but at least it won't be cut off me or anything."

She paused when Ellen asked what it was. This was the actually embarrassing part. The tattoo artist had told them what had gone down in the shop, but she still had no idea why she'd gotten what she did. But Ellen was going to not let this drop, and if Jo didn't tell her, she'd probably do something like try to see it while Jo was sleeping or in the shower or something. "It says 'Shut up, Sam,'" she answered at last. "Please don't laugh."

“So... you nested in their bathtub?” Ellen asked with an air of mockery to the question. She thought it silly which was a lot better than her being angry about it. She supposed it was better than Jo getting shit faced on purpose and doing stupid things. Not that it was too much better. More like a half a step up. “Parker?” Ellen thought for a half a moment. “Oh, oh yeah. Parker. I remember you mentioning her.” She nodded and continued to listen. “Under Sam??” Now she laughed. “And she made it through the night?” Ellen joked.

“Yeah, I probably would... but it wouldn't be so bad...” She shrugged. “As long as it weren't anywhere that people could see it...” She glanced at Jo. “Or find when ya bend over.” she smirked.

Jo's silence made Ellen start to think the worst. What was it that could be so bad? As long as it didn't have her phone number or say something trashy like Lucky You or Enjoy Ellen figured it couldn't be all bad. Right? When Jo finally gave up the goods, Ellen snirked and bobbed her head at what she thought was a joke. Jo's plea for her mother not to laugh, however, told her it was far from it. Ellen glanced at Jo and the corner of her mouth pulled up high. “Shut up, Sam?” Ellen chuckled softly, trying to keep it in. That didn't last long though. “How could you think I wouldn't laugh at that??”

Ellen couldn't take it. She let out a real laugh, slowing the car down just so she could keep control. “Seriously Jo. Never in all my years would I have thought you would get a boys name tattooed onto your ASS!” She laughed louder. Poor Jo. But Ellen seriously couldn't help it. Jo would probably laugh right back had Ellen done something similar. “Especially a Winchester's! And it's not even DEAN!” After a few moments of laughter and Ellen doing her best to restrain herself, she wiped a tear and had to ask. “What on earth possessed you to get THAT??”

“Hey, don't knock it,” Jo shot back, grinning. “It was cool and dark and quiet, which was nice considering how hungover I was. I didn't have any problems until I left the bathroom.” She laughed uproariously when Ellen made a crack about Parker making it through the night. “I think we were all a little surprised she did,” the younger Harvelle agreed.

Jo rolled her eyes. “It wasn't my intention to get it,” she reminded her. “If I were going to get a tattoo on purpose, it would not be this, and it would not be there.”

The blond glared across the car at her mother as she cracked up. “ABOVE my ass,” she clarified, just to make the point. Not that it really made things better. She huffed when her mother commented about it being Sam's name specifically, crossing her arms and turning to look out the window. She wasn't the type to get any guy's name tattooed on her and resented the fact that her mom was speculating about who or who not should be on there. She didn't answer her question right away, continuing to pout.

After a second, she relented however. “I have no idea, I was drugged. The tattoo guy just said that I was insistent upon it, not why I picked it. However, Sam's really, really, really annoying when he is drunk, so that probably had something to do with it.” She rolled her eyes back over to her mother.

“You can't possibly tell me you've never done anything stupid under the influence of magic or alcohol,” she insisted.

“I'll remember that next time I'm too drunk to get to a proper bed.” Ellen said with a big smile. “Though, in all my life I think I've only had that problem once or twice.” she added.

“Alright, alright.” Ellen conceded. “The tattoo is ABOVE your ass, it says Sam's name for no apparent reason other than he needed to shut up at the time and if I don't stop talking about the thing you'll probably be very upset and that won't be a good thing when we get to Bobby's.” Ellen said. She sipped her coffee. “Fair enough. Subject dropped and forgotten.”

“You're right, I can't. Tell you.” Ellen said, still smiling. “Not magic mind you but definitely alcohol.” she shook her head, sighing. “Though, in my defense, most of my alcohol induces stupors were a result and influence of your Auntie Annie.” Ellen began to laugh. “Like this one time, haha, Louise and I, heh, got drunk off some, hahaha, 100 proof whiskey, right? I mean, we were, *snicker*, we were three sheets to the wind.” Ellen was trying hard to tell the story without laughing, but she let out a chuckle between every few words. “So we, *snirk*, we drove down to the uh... haha...” Ellen then realized what she was doing. She looked at Jo, her laughter fading. “We uh... yeah. No... This aint proper mother daughter conversation.”

Ellen cleared her throat and turned her eyes forward, focusing hard on the road in front of her. “Where are we?” she asked, trying to change the subject and distract Jo. Though Ellen had driven the road many times and could probably get to Bobby's house blind, she nodded towards the glove box. “You got a map, right? How far out are we?”