Title: Lost and Found

Chapter: 37

~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwen was upset with him for letting her sleep. It wasn’t just a momentary annoyance to her, but something that was really upsetting her. She’d signed up to do a watch cycle and he’d made the unilateral decision to not let her do that. He’d overruled her and it pissed her off. She made no bones about it.

Sam watched her as they ate. She was definitely in a mood and he supposed he was going to have to break down and tell her the reason he’d let her sleep. It was pretty much the same reason he’d told Jo to go to sleep. Later in the day, he was going to try to help Dean convince Jo to go to safety and was going to do the same with Gwen. It was only fair in his opinion that both women be well-rested and prepared to fight them on it.

Once he was sure the witches were in Battle Creek, the safest place for Gwen would be taking Jo back home. It wasn’t that he thought she couldn’t take care of herself or that Jo couldn’t take care of herself. They both could. He knew that very well. They were both accomplished hunters, capable at doing what they had to. It was just that he didn’t want Gwen or Jo to have to fight the witches and either the god or demon they were raising. It would absolutely gut Dean if Jo and the baby got hurt and as for Gwen….

Sam may call her ‘Pollyanna’, but the truth was, he needed that from her, just like Dean needed Jo’s certainty that everything would work out somehow. He looked at Gwen and saw far more than a girlfriend, but rather an intimate partner on this personal part of his path in life. She seemed to understand him, his fears and concerns, and never made him feel like they were trivial. She never made him feel less than what he was and he knew that being with her made him a better man.

She’d become his Jo.

He almost laughed to himself as he watched Dean and Jo across the table. Jo complemented Dean and he’d begun to realize that Gwen complemented him. Everything he’d told Dean about Jo applied to Gwen with himself. She added a lightheartedness to a life that had known far too much pain and sorrow.

It was a good feeling.

Sam loved her. He could admit it now to himself. His feelings were love, of the sort he’d never thought he’d ever feel again.

He imagined Jess telling him she was happy for him and all night long, during those late hours after Jo had finally slept and all had been silent, he’d thought about Jess and said a sort of mental good bye to her. He’d thought about their relationship and all she’d meant to him…then let her go. It was a long time coming, but he hadn’t quite been able to do it until now. He’d always love her. Of course he would. She was his first genuine love. She’d been a part of him for a very long time, but it was time to admit that there was an earthly future for him available. He didn’t have to leave part of himself in the grave with Jess. If Dean could learn to live to the fullest extent, he could as well. It might take him longer, but he could do it.

Oddly, he felt like he was breaking a protective chrysalis about himself and emerging from it a changed being.

When it was time to split up, Sam led Gwen behind the car Ben had brought and tugged her to him. “Be careful.”

“Of course.”

“No, I mean the ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ sort of careful.”

She sighed and slid her hands up to his shoulders and higher, clasping them at the back of his neck. “You gonna tell me what this is about?”

“What what’s about?”

“The extra weapons, the hyper-sensitivity to everything around us, the letting me sleep instead of waking me up for my shift. Don’t think I’m not seeing it. I grew up seeing this every year of my life. You’re on red alert, Sam, and I want to know why. Tell me. You’re jumpy and you’re trying to cover it up. If Dean and Jo weren’t so distracted by Ben and the question of whether or not he’s lying, they’d have called you on this already. It’s the witch case, isn’t it? What have you found out?”

He cast a glance at the Impala, where Dean, Jo, and Ben were waiting for her. “Dean did notice.”

“And?”

“And,” he lowered his mouth to her ear, “the 1977 sacrifice was supposed to be Lisa, as in Lisa Ben’s mother.”

“You’re sure?” She drew back a fraction to look in his eyes.

“I am, though I’m double checking. That’s where I’m going this morning. I’ve got an appointment to see her father and discuss her abduction as a newborn.”

“Sam.” Gwen shook her head. “Tell me you’re not serious.”

“I wish I wasn’t. She’s connected, like you are. You share a birth date and time and to be honest, the only reason I didn’t insist you stay back at base is I was afraid they’d track you there. I want you safe and right now, while I don’t know where the witches are exactly, I think you’re safer with all of us than alone.”

“She really is in danger.” Gwen glanced at the Impala and back at him. “Ben was right.”

“I think so. I also think the witch, the coven, tried the direct route first: that invitation Ben mentioned. I think they’d planned to lure her and kill her, but they’re keeping an eye on her in case she doesn’t cooperate.”

“What about the woman who looks like her? Shapeshifter?”

“That’s the highest possibility. Or the situation could have attracted a doppelganger and it’s a toss-up as to which’ll get her first.”

Her fingers tangled in his hair. “Cheery proposition.”

“Ben thinks July second is the day they’ll kill her.”

“Today is June thirtieth.”

“The pattern is girls born on June second at five a.m., sacrificed approximately a month later. My research supports it. I showed all but the clipping about Lisa to Dean before we left and he agrees the pattern is there.”

“Why didn’t you show him the one about her?”

“Because I have to be completely certain, without one doubt before I give him this and we head in to protect her. I have to have no doubt that she’s a part of it.”

“It sounds like you’re already there.”

“I need to see her father, get it from him.” He could see Dean getting antsy, tapping a foot, looking at his watch. “What I need from you is, if I’m not there when you get to Battle Creek, don’t let Dean and Jo take Ben home until I get there. Find a motel, lay low.”

Dean leaned over through the open window and blared the horn, then straightened, arms spreading. “Come on,” he yelled. “Kiss him already and get in the car, Gwen!”

Sam touched her face, tracing the line of her jaw before curving a hand along her neck. “Look, I need to go or I’ll be late for the meeting. Stay with them, please. Don’t go anywhere alone. Don’t take the chance that they’re there and they could know who you are on sight. We don’t know what Samuel gave them on you, if anything. They might know exactly what you look like.” It wouldn’t surprise him to learn Samuel had given them everything he knew about Gwen, including a picture.

“Okay.”

“No, Gwen, I really mean it. Lay low.”

“Sam, I get that. I’ll --”

He pressed a kiss to her lips, trying to convey in seconds how deeply he felt for her before releasing her. He swept his thumb along her lower lip. “I love you.” Before she could respond and he could rethink his impulsive declaration, he got into the car and drove away.

~~~~~~~~~~

I love you.

He loved her.

Gwen stood, stunned. It wasn’t that she’d doubted how deep Sam’s feelings might be for her, merely that she hadn’t expected to hear those words any time soon. He was cautious with any declaration of feeling -- understandably. A giddy warmth fluttered inside her chest and spread throughout her body as Dean honked the horn again. Sam Winchester loved her. She turned and walked towards the Impala, fighting the urge to grin in a purely sappy manner.

Dean opened the driver’s door and paused, looking at her. “You okay?”

“I think Supergirl is having an off day,” she managed.

“She’s allowed. Batman’s on his game. What’s up?”

If she wanted to tell him, he’d listen. He had that expression, where it was obvious to her that a part of him was willing to stall the rest of the trip. His brows were raised, an expectant gleam in his eyes. Gwen thought about what Sam had told her about Lisa and shook her head. It was Sam’s conclusion. He was the one with the facts and the story on Lisa. Without exactly what Sam knew, Gwen couldn’t tell Dean. Nor was she comfortable telling him Sam had confessed his love. She licked her lips. “He’s being mysterious about the witch case.”

“Yeah, he has been lately. Sounds like he’s about got it all figured out though, so that’s good.”

If only you knew, she thought. “Sure.” Sort of.

“He thinks we’ll wrap it up pretty quickly after this family interview.”

“It’d be nice if it was quick.” Gwen had her doubts. Nothing was ever quick. She opened her door. “Hey, do you mind if I steal Jo for a few games of cards?”

“What, and Ben sit up with me?”

“It’d be a nice change for all of you.”

He nodded. “Ask Jo. I’m sure she won’t mind.”

A few minutes later, they were on the road and Gwen waited until Dean and Ben were talking before leaning closer to Jo over their cards. “He said it,” she told her softly.

“Said what?” Jo glanced up from her cards, eyes widening. “The ‘l’ word?”

Gwen nodded. “He just said it and drove away.”

She grinned. “Gwen, that’s great!”

“It is.”

“It may take those two forever, but let me tell you, they’re worth the wait.”

Jo was right. The Winchester men were worth the time it took to build something with them. Gwen thought about how lucky she was that she’d been accepted into their circle. It wasn’t anyone who could earn their trust, especially in recent times.

“Have you said it to him? You did, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. I never expected him to say it back. Well…at least not for a long time.” She leaned closer, voice lowering further. “Jo, he told me something he found out about the case.” Glancing to the front of the Impala, she found Ben and Dean deep in a discussion of their own.

“Something….” Her brows rose, the pitch of her voice matching Gwen’s. “Something he’s not ready for us to know?”

She jerked her head in Dean’s direction.

Jo interpreted that in a second and when she replied, her voice was barely audible. “He’s not ready for Dean to know.”

“No.”

“Lay it on me.”

“You can’t say anything. Sam’s double checking and I think it’s probably more like quadruple checking knowing him.”

She made a cross gesture on her chest. “Cross my heart.”

Gwen flicked a finger in Ben’s direction. “Mom was the ‘77 failed abduction. Fits the criteria, all of it.”

Her lips parted, eyes going very wide open. Jo’s fingers tightened on the cards and she slapped them down. “Crapsticks!”

“Everything okay back there,” Dean asked.

Gwen met his gaze in the rearview mirror and smirked. “I won the first round.”

“Uh-huh. Don’t get her too riled, Gwen.”

“Would I do that,” she replied as sweetly as possible.

“Without a single doubt. You’re trouble that way,” Dean replied, but returned his attention to Ben.

Jo snatched up the cards, shuffled, and dealt. “You are not serious,” she hissed. “That,” it was obvious she was searching for a word and discarding each one, “person….” She took two turns without allowing Gwen to go and completely disregarded the rules of the game. “Seriously? Seriously?” She drew in a long breath and let it out slowly. “I get why he didn’t say anything yet. The kid’s right. They’re there. Damn it!” She slapped her cards down, snatched all of them up and shuffled again while Gwen still held cards in her hand. “I was hoping to have a quick resolution to get on with the case and this changes that.”

It definitely changed everything. Ben was right, Lisa was in danger, and they were heading right for the witches, which meant Sam and Dean were going to try to convince them to leave as soon as they knew for sure the witches were there. She understood now why Sam had let her sleep. He’d planned to let her have a fair fight.

“We’ll have to stay until we finish the case.” Jo set her cards down, resolution simmering in her eyes. “We’ll have to….” She touched Gwen’s hand, glance raising to her. “Gwen.”

“I know.” She could see Jo realizing that it wasn’t just Lisa in danger. Gwen could be as well. If the witches knew who Gwen was and were definitely in Battle Creek, then she could be a target from the second they arrived in town. “Sam’s worried Samuel gave the witches a picture of me.”

“You think he did?”

“I think Samuel did what Samuel thought was in his best interests.” She nodded. “Yeah, I think he gave them a picture of me.”

She wouldn’t be surprised if he’d given them a whole damn album full.

Jo looked out the back window. “You and her both. Son of a bitch.”

The words aptly summed up Gwen’s own thoughts on it.

~~~~~~~~~~

Something was up with Gwen, but it didn’t look like she was wanting to share it, so Dean let it go. He glanced in the rearview mirror as he drove. Gwen and Jo were talking in that low sort of voice women used when they were divulging secrets, voices so low a dog would have trouble hearing them. It was no use trying to eavesdrop, so he tried to keep a conversation going with Ben. It was easier today than it had been the previous afternoon.

“Why don’t you tell me about your dad?”

“Like what?” He looked up from the box of tapes.

“Like whatever you know. What happened when you met him the first time. What he’s like. Those kind of things.”

“Well…. He’s okay, I guess. I haven’t really spent much time with him. It took weeks to get this camping trip together. Mom didn’t like it, her lawyer got involved, then his lawyer, and they finally decided two weeks of camping, fishing, and bonding over smores was acceptable. He said it’d be like an adventure and I sort of wanted to go.”

“Camping can be an adventure,” Dean agreed. Especially the sort of camping Dean usually ended up doing: heavy on tracking various creatures and light on the fun stuff. He wondered if Jo liked camping. They’d never really discussed it before.

“Yeah, I guess.” Ben set the tapes aside.

Jo’s voice came loud from the backseat, “Crapsticks!”

It didn’t look like anything was wrong exactly and Gwen gave him a bit of sass, so he decided they were okay. They could be discussing anything knowing those two.

“Dean? Why did he wait so long to find me? Why didn’t he want me to begin with? What changed his mind?”

Heavy topic. Dean considered all of the factors involved that he knew about. Ben should be having this conversation with his dad, not Dean. “Maybe when you were born, he wasn’t ready to be a dad. Too young, too immature, unable to handle the responsibility. It might not have been that he didn’t want you, Ben, but that he was too scared to step up and do the right thing. Then later…. You said his wife died in a car accident, right? Maybe it was a wish of hers that he find you and get to know you.”

“But I never met her.”

“You sure about that? Maybe you did and never knew it. She could have been the one to find you originally, met you, and thought you and he would be good for each other. Or maybe your dad thought it was time both his kids get to know each other and he got to know you. How old is your half-sister?”

“Nine.”

“Nine’s a good age. You could talk to him. Ask him those things. I think if he really wants to have a relationship with you, he’ll try to explain at least one of those answers to you.”

“Do you think?”

“From what you’ve said, it sounds like he turned into a real good guy. Give him a chance.”

Ben was quiet a minute, then slid a careful glance towards the backseat. “Dean?”

Jo and Gwen were whispering back and forth, but he still couldn’t hear what they were saying. “Yeah?”

“What happened between you and mom?”

He took a breath. “It didn’t work out.”

“I know that.” He rolled his eyes. “I mean, what specifically happened? I thought Sam came back and made you leave us. I thought it was Sam, but I’ve been talking to Sam and he’s not like that. I don’t think he’d do that.”

“He wouldn’t,” Dean agreed softly.

“So why did you leave? What really happened? Please? I’m not a kid, Dean. You know I’m not.”

He considered the things he could say and finally settled on the very bare bones of it. “Basically, your mother and I weren’t compatible. Beneath everything, I’m not the sort of man she really wanted with the sort of life she wanted. We tried to work it out, but the life I have to lead for my job isn’t the one she’s comfortable in.”

Ben watched him with that half adult gaze and didn’t reply, but that conversation lessened a bit of the tension that had been in the air. Some of the sullenness disappeared from Ben and by the time they reached Battle Creek, taking him home didn’t seem like much of a chore anymore.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Upon leaving the Braeden home, Sam drove like Dean usually did to try to catch up with them. It had taken him longer than he’d anticipated to talk to Lisa’s parents. They hadn’t wanted to admit what had happened until he’d made it clear that the perpetrator was still stealing children and they could be a key to stopping him or her. Then, the entire story had come out and Sam’s stomach felt like it was flopping in sick waves inside him.

He was right; right about Lisa and how she fit. She’d been born June second at five in the morning and had gone missing the next day. It had been days later before a couple had brought Lisa to the hospital with a story for the staff and police that they’d discovered the baby girl in an alley. Privately, the couple had warned the Braden family that their daughter would remain in danger due to her birth day and time. Advice had been given and the shaken parents had taken it as best they could.

He wondered why the rescuers hadn’t helped them with the process, then dismissed it. How often did he and Dean or any other hunters stick around to clean up? It rarely happened, though he knew Jo, Ellen, and Gwen had done it a few times in the case of children left orphaned. The hunters in ’77 would have done what they all did: left when the job was done, leaving a mess behind.

Sam let loose with a few strings of curses Dean would have thoroughly appreciated, peppering in a few words in German he’d learned from Gwen. Was meeting Lisa a destiny thing? It sure seemed like it. Even if Ben hadn’t arrived wanting help, Sam would have come across that article anyway. He would have checked her out to see if anything strange was happening, like he’d planned to do with the survivor from ‘97.

He drew out his phone and dialed, talking before Dean could say anything.

“Dean, don’t take Ben home.”

“What? Why not?”

“Look, we were going to wait until morning anyway, so just…wait until I get there, okay?”

“Sam, what’s wrong?”

“I think Ben might be right, but there’s so much more going on than we thought.”

“Talk to me.”

“When I get there.”

He felt like there was an hourglass shifting sand around them and they were quickly running out of time.

Sam didn’t mince words upon joining them at the motel. He laid it all out. Gwen wasn’t surprised because he’d already told her and he noticed that Jo wasn’t surprised either. Gwen had probably shared it with her. To Ben’s credit, he listened and didn’t speak, taking in all of the information Sam had pulled together with a thoughtful frown. Dean looked like he’d been punched in the stomach when Sam revealed that Lisa was part of the cycle and Sam sent an apologetic glance his way. “I’m sorry, Dean. I had to be certain before I told you. I didn’t want any doubt from any of us that she needs protection. Ben did a good thing by finding us. He did a smart thing and I think we’re here just in time.”

Dean ran a hand through his hair. “You’re positive?”

“I talked to her parents. I think it was the probably Neal and Patricia who rescued Lisa.”

He nodded. “Okay. Okay.” With a deep breath, he sat beside Ben on the edge of one bed. “Sam’s right. You did a good, smart thing.”

“You didn’t believe me.”

“I do now.”

Gwen cleared her throat. “So they’re here. What’s our next move?”

Sam braced himself for an argument. “Our next move is you going home.”

“I am not.”

“You are too.”

“Let’s see you try and make me.”

“I could you know,” Sam told Gwen, mentally attempting to figure out how exactly he’d manage that.

“Don’t think you’re going to drag me in as an accomplice,” Jo announced, quashing that brief idea as she sat next to Dean. “I won’t keep her tied up in the trunk for the drive, not to mention I’m not leaving either.”

Dean put his arm about Jo’s shoulders. “I’d feel better if you went home. If you both did.”

“I’m not leaving.” Gwen crossed her arms and gave the appearance of having every intention of fighting tooth and nail to stay. “I know the risks, Sam. No caveman, remember?”

“I just want you safe.”

“I get that.” She moved close, set her hands on his chest a second, then smoothed them across his chest. “I understand that.”

Jo slanted a pointed glance Dean’s direction. “I’m not leaving either, so keep that thought right outta your head.”

“Jo.” Dean leaned down and whispered something in her ear.

She drew back and shook her head. “Sweetheart, there’s no way you two are getting rid of us. Besides, I said ‘not alone’ and I meant it. You can’t make either of us leave.”

“Gwen.” Sam tried puppy dog eyes, to which Gwen raised her brows and squared her jaw.

“You need us here. Both of us. How are you going to protect Lisa and Ben and find and stop the witches with just the two of you? Tell me that.”

He briefly considered calling Cas down to take them home and reconsidered before the thought was fully formed. Doing that wouldn’t be good for any of their relationships. Castiel probably wouldn’t even do it unless they gave him a good reason, not to mention they’d insisted they were still trying to wean themselves off of using his powers all of the time and it’d be hypocritical to use them. He sighed. “You’re determined.”

“We are.”

“Okay. I guess a couple of us need to go talk to her.” He pointed at Ben. “You stay here. We don’t want you walking in to a potentially unsafe environment and giving us two civilians to look out for there.”

Dean stood. “I’ll go. Jo’ll go with me. Like we’d planned.”

Sam watched Ben a minute, then caught Jo’s eye. She gave him an imperceptible shake of her head. He returned his gaze to Dean. “About that…. We talk outside a minute?”

“Lead on.”

Dean followed him out to the Impala. “I don’t think you should go to Lisa’s house,” Sam said softly, “and it has nothing to do with anyone’s opinion of Lisa.” He leaned against the hood.

“Sam.”

“Hear me out. Lisa is definitely in the line of fire, which means if we take Ben back, he’d be either killed at the house when they grab her or taken with her and killed later. One of us needs to stay here and keep him from returning home to do our job.” He held up a hand to keep Dean from talking. “I think he’d respond better to a man here, not two women. We also know if they realize Gwen is here she’ll be in that same danger as Lisa. Right now, I’d feel better if you’re with Ben and Gwen and Jo goes with me to talk to Lisa.”

“Why don’t you stay and Jo and I’ll go?”

“Honestly?” He glanced towards the closed motel room door. “Two reasons. I don’t know if I could be objective enough to protect Ben if they attacked us here. My instinct would be to save Gwen.”

“I doubt that,” Dean scoffed.

Sam shook his head. “No, it’s true. I couldn’t save Jess and if they try to take Gwen…. Dean, I love her. I won’t let anyone hurt her. Point is, she’d be my priority, not Ben. He needs someone here who’ll look out for him and Gwen just needs good back-up.”

For the span of nearly a minute, Dean looked shocked, his mouth opening and no sound emerging. Finally, understanding flickered in his eyes. “What’s the second?”

“You have to ask? You, Jo, and Lisa in a room together? That’s nowhere near a good idea, Dean. Jo and I will go. You won’t be there to distract Lisa and Jo won’t feel she has to protect you.”

It was with grudging acceptance that Dean let them head out. The house was easy to find. Ben’s directions were good and Sam parked across the street. He studied Jo a moment. She was staring at the house, a pensive frown tugging at her brow. “You ready?”

She ran her hands along her stomach, then reached for the door handle. “Let’s do this.”

Sam rang the bell twice.

The door opened. Lisa’s lips parted as she looked at them, gaze traveling down Jo, pausing on her stomach, and then turning to Sam. Surprise, alarm, discomfort, dislike, and annoyance passed across her face in rapid succession. She licked her lips and cocked her head. “Sam Winchester.”

“Hello, Lisa.” He nodded in greeting and gestured to Jo. “This is Jo.”

“Also Winchester?”

Why would she ask that, he wondered, then dismissed it.

“Yes, it’s Jo Winchester,” Jo replied.

“Right. You’re on my doorstep…why?” She shook her head, suspicion settling in her eyes.

“We need to talk to you and it’s important.” Jo’s voice was cool and all business. “Could we come in for a minute?”

Lisa looked at the street, both up and down it. “Where’s Dean?”

“Not with us.” Though Jo smiled, she stepped sideways into Lisa’s line of sight. “It really is important that we talk.”

Sam set a brief, comforting hand against Jo’s back. She was tense, standing very straight. “It’ll be a few minutes. I promise.”

“You promise,” Lisa repeated, skepticism heavy in her voice. “Right. Okay, Sam. You and…”

“Jo,” he supplied.

“…Jo can come in. For a minute. I was about to go run errands.” Stepping back, she opened the door wider to let them inside the house. She closed the door behind them and led them to the kitchen, though she didn’t offer them anything to drink.

At first Sam thought the meeting was going well. Lisa appeared to listen carefully as they explained about Ben arriving and what they’d discovered. He thought she understood, but there was no alarm in her eyes or anything that indicated she knew she was in danger. She seemed completely unconcerned about anything they’d said or the fact that Ben had driven several states without a license to find them.

She leaned back against the kitchen counter. “So Dean is here?”

“Uh…with Ben, yeah.”

She glanced at the front door. “Why didn’t he bring Ben home? Why send you two?”

Jo cleared her throat. “Did you just not hear a word we said?”

“No, I heard you.”

“Well, obviously, you didn’t. He’s keeping Ben safe at the motel. As for the rest, I’ll recap for you.” Jo patted her stomach with her hands. Sam wondered if the baby was kicking or if it was to calm herself. He suspected the latter. “Your son saw a suspicious person who looks like you and isn’t and came to us --”

“To Dean. He went to Dean.”

She was focusing only on the part about Dean being in town. Sam blinked a few times. She should be focusing on the fact that she was honestly in danger. “To us. He came to us for help. We discovered --”

“Sam discovered actually. It was all Sam. He figured everything out.” Jo was doing her best to be professional, but Sam could see the narrowing of her eyes and the strain of keeping a polite expression setting in in how she stood and held herself.

“We discovered you’re in danger from a coven that wants to use you as a sacrifice to release their god into this world.”

“So you said,” Lisa replied as casually as if they were talking about the weather.

Sam took a step closer to Jo, touching a hand to her back once more. “Lisa, you’re a part of this. Your June second birthday is--”

Her expression shifted into one of annoyance. “This is ridiculous. I wasn’t born June second, Sam. I was born June twentieth. The twentieth. You’re wrong. Your facts are wrong. I’m not in this, so have Dean bring my son home.”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Lisa, but you were born on the second. I talked to your father. Your birth certificate was a fake. The original was altered.”

“How is that possible? I’ve used copies of that certificate. No one has said it was a fake.”

“It’s possible. Your father confirmed it.”

“You went to my parents with this nonsense.” Her lips tightened into a thin line. “Thanks, Sam.”

“I suppose we could just let the pagan god and witches have you. Would that be preferable?” Jo crossed her arms, her tone growing snippy. “They knew something was up back when you were stolen from the hospital as a baby and the people who saved you told them to change the date and time on your birth certificate to protect you. You did know you were kidnapped, right?”

“It was a hospital mix-up. I was sent home with the wrong family.”

“Because hospitals have never been careful about those things,” Jo snapped, in a full sarcastic mode that Sam hadn’t heard from her in a very long time.

“It happens.” Lisa blinked and put her hands on her hips. She huffed a breath out. “What is your problem with me?”

“You really want to know, Lisa?” She tossed her hair back over her shoulders.

“Enlighten me, please, because this hostility you have for someone you don’t even know is rather stupid.”

Jo put her hands on her hips and Sam could see her gearing up for a fight in the way she pursed her lips and twitched one eyebrow. “Okay. I’ll tell you.” Her tone indicated she was aiming both barrels and was more than willing to pull the trigger.

Sam put a hand on her arm and she promptly shrugged it off. “Jo, don’t. Dean said --”

“No, Sam, if you and Dean want to let her get away with that shit, fine, but I’m not going to give her a free pass. I refuse.” She took a deliberate slow step right into Lisa’s personal space, getting right up into her face. “You manipulated Dean into staying with you and tried to turn him into a Stepford boyfriend that had no bearing on who he really is. Tucking his shirts in? Driving a truck? Taking up golf and holding neighborhood barbecues? Those are so not Dean Winchester.”

There was nothing wrong with any of those things, they just weren’t really Dean at all. He tucked his shirts in when they were conning someone and left them un-tucked otherwise, drove the Impala and nothing else unless he absolutely had to, barbecued when he could make it a friendly competition between him and Sam about who made the best hamburgers, pork chops, steaks, or whatnot, and he hadn’t even mentioned golf since leaving Lisa’s house.

“Look, I don’t know what Dean told you or what Sam told you, but Dean tucked his shirts in willingly. He wanted to make a good impression on everyone and I encouraged that. He wanted to better himself. I encouraged him to come out with us to meet new people and the barbecues? He thought they were a great idea. He liked grilling and having our friends over. As for the truck, Dean drove it because it was too painful for him to drive that other car.”

“That other car,” Jo repeated.

“The black one,” she clarified slowly, like she thought Jo was a little brain damaged. “Does he still drive it?”

“Does he still….” She cleared her throat, using Lisa’s tone right back at her. “You mean the Impala, Lisa. It’s not ‘that other car’. It’s the Impala,” Jo put an extra emphasis on it, “and it means a lot to Dean. He rebuilt her from scratch, did you know that? After their dad died. He rebuilt her. He spent hours putting her back together.”

“And?”

The word seemed to throw Jo for a second. “What do you mean, and?” There was going to be no stopping Jo. Sam could see it in her eyes. She was ready for a knock-down, drag-out. “Do you really not know the importance of her to him and to Sam both? Do you not know what she helped to do?” She turned her head, attention moving to Sam, bafflement in her eyes, before returning to Lisa.

Did Jo realize she’d begun referring to the Impala like Dean did as the conversation progressed? Using ‘she’ instead of ‘it’?

They’d told Jo everything, as painful as it had been to go back through it all, but it was clear that Dean hadn’t really shared it with Lisa. She was as baffled by Jo’s emphasis as Jo was by Lisa’s flippant dismissal of the Impala. She didn’t know the Impala had played a part in Sam wresting control of Lucifer long enough to jump into the cage. Why hadn’t Dean told her? Had it been too fresh? Or had he not thought she’d understand?

Lisa raised her gaze towards the ceiling like she was bracing herself, then lowered it back to Jo. “Look, he came to me a wreck and he needed encouragement and support. I gave him that. I encouraged him to put it all behind him and start a new life with us. I gave him a chance to start over with a family, a chance to be a father. I helped him through the year where Sam let him think he was dead. He was done with hunting until Sam came back. Maybe it was taking him awhile to adjust to retirement, but he was adjusting. He was healing.”

Sam frowned. Dean hadn’t healed. Why did she think that? When he’d gotten his soul back, Dean had been exactly the same as Sam remembered, with exactly the same issues, as though no time had gone by at all. Where was the healing Lisa claimed had happened? He opened his mouth to respond and couldn’t get a word in edgewise as both women hurried on.

“You totally don’t know anything about what happened to Sam during that year. Don’t pretend like you think you know.”

“I know enough. He came back and --”

“You told Dean he’d never be happy with his brother in his life.”

“He told you I said that?”

“He did and you hurt him so bad by saying that. I mean, from what I’ve heard, it’s never really been about Sam exactly, but about how you thought it was some kind of competition for Dean’s love. Him or you.” Jo gestured, using right hand for one word and the left for the other. She gestured again as she continued. “One or the other, can’t have both. You tried to make Dean choose between you.”

Lisa made a noise of protest. “Sam --”

“Who does that? What kind of person needs to make her boyfriend choose her over his own brother, the brother he practically raised? Maybe their relationship is crazy, but who are you to judge? Did you go through everything they have through their entire lives? Do you have one little ounce of an idea what they’ve endured?” She shrugged. “Your loss, because Sam,” she gestured at him now, “is the kindest-hearted, gentlest, genuinely good man I know. He has never wished you ill. Even when he found out how you hurt Dean, he never wanted anything bad to happen to you.”

“Jo --” He tried to interrupt, but she forged on, voice growing louder.

“Dean is complete with him in his life. He can only be complete with Sam and Sam with him. I find it sad that you couldn’t see it. Sister, you missed out on something wonderful. You could have been a part of this close, loving family, but your unwillingness to accept Sam lost you the best man you’ll ever have.”

Lisa stepped closer to Jo and seemed surprised when Jo didn’t back away. It looked to him like Jo even leaned towards her. “You think I don’t know that? You think I don’t wonder in the back of mind how things could have been different? I said things I didn’t mean, but so did Dean. He knows that. There are two sides here, Jo. You only know Dean’s.”

“I know enough.” She stepped back, sliding her gaze down Lisa and back up, lip curling a fraction. “You dissed Sam. I can’t forgive that.”

Sam cleared his throat and realized that if he was going to stop this verbal warfare, he needed to do it before either woman got a second wind. “Thanks for the defense, Jo, but can we all get back to the fact that a coven is watching Lisa and waiting to kill her so their god can materialize fully on this plane?”

Lisa moved back from Jo and around the counter. It was a defensive movement, putting a physical object between her and Jo. “Do you have any proof?”

Jo set her hands on the counter. “You mean aside from your own kid noticing? What kind of proof do you need?”

“Get out of my house. Get out and tell Ben to get his ass home. Or have Dean bring him home. One of the two.”

“Lisa --”

“No, Sam. You think I don’t see how trouble follows you? It followed you last time right into my happy home with Dean. We’d had a good year until you came along. You dragged him away and he wasn’t happy going. You had no concern for his happiness. He was fine here. We had a good life.” Her voice broke on the last word. “Leave now before trouble comes back around.”

Good year? Happy home? Dean’s happiness? Where had she gotten the idea that Dean had been happy? Dean had admitted several times that he hadn’t been happy; that he’d been existing, a functioning alcoholic who hadn’t been able to begin to deal with the loss of Sam from his life. How was that good? How was that being happy? Not to mention, he’d hardly dragged Dean away.

Jo’s eyes went wide with disbelief and she looked at Sam. He had the feeling the same thoughts were running through her mind. She shook her head and returned her attention to Lisa. “Are you stupid by nature or is this a willful thing?” She said the next words slowly, like one did to a small child, a return to that tone both women had used minutes earlier. “Two experienced hunters tell you that your son’s suspicions are correct, you really are in danger, and you stick your head in the sand and ignore it?”

“Ben tells stories and he’s good at it. It’s a story, Jo. That’s all it is. He has a wild imagination and he’s conned all of you.”

She let out a noise of disbelief now and turned to Sam. “Well, that’s it. We tried. It was a good effort, Sam, but we can’t win every time, right?” Her smile was bright and artificially cheerful. “I say we let the coven and god have her dumb butt. What’s one more pagan god running around? We can always kill it later.”

“Jo, come on. Stop it. Just take a deep breath and calm down.”

“What?” She snorted. “She thinks it’s a story.” She gestured to the door. “We tried, we failed, and I’m outta here. I’ll be in the car.” At the door she paused long enough to shout back, “Not gonna come to your funeral when they kill you.”

Sam could almost hear the ‘you dumb bitch’, Jo inevitably muttered after she’d slammed the door. He guessed her opinion of Lisa hadn’t changed and he turned back to Lisa to try again. “Lisa, this is serious business. We wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t. We have solid evidence the coven is here in Battle Creek. At least let us watch the house. Target date appears to be July second. Send Ben to a friend’s house and we’ll keep a watch here, make sure you’re kept safe until July third. There’s four of us in town --”

“No.” She shook her head. “Do you know how long it took to get my life back together from the last brush with your kind of life? I can’t be a part of it. I told Dean that. Don’t drag me into this.”

“We’re not dragging. You’ve been targeted and it’s all because of your birth.” She was alternately claiming it was a story and trying to deny she could be a part of it, which indicated she did really believe them on some level, just not enough to accept help.

She turned away. “Will you just please leave? Send Ben home and leave.”

There was no changing her mind he saw. She refused to face the facts he and Jo had shared. “Okay, I’ll go. If you do need assistance,” he drew a card from his pocket and set it on the counter, “my number is on this card. If you see anything that spooks you, call. We’ll come. We’ll be here.” He slid the card across the counter. “I mean it, Lisa.”

“Go.”

He left, closing the door gently behind him, unlike the slam Jo had made.

“You feel better,” he asked, getting in the car.

Jo was contemplative, features set in a sad frown. He could see her hands shaking. “I’m sorry, Sam.”

“About what,” he asked, starting the car. “It went about how I’d expected it to.”

“About my behavior in there. I thought I could be professional and all I could think about was what Dean said she’d said to him about you two. I saw red. Not how I’d imagined it going, believe me.”

“Actually, you weren’t quite as forceful as I’d thought you’d be.”

“Really?”

“I was fairly certain there’d be bloodshed. Or at least a couple punches thrown.”

She smiled. “Thanks.”

“No, thank you, Jo. For what you said in there. You know…about me.”

“Nothing but the truth as I see it.”

There was silence for a few minutes.

“Ben’s going to be disappointed,” he told her, putting the car in drive.

With a groan, Jo leaned her head back. “I know. How do we break it to him that his mother is a moron? Seriously, what sane person who ever went through anything we deal with refuses a protection offer when hunters tell her she’s in danger? That’s like a special kind of stupid, Sam.”

“She doesn’t believe it. That’s what we tell him and then we put a double watch on him so he doesn’t run home to do our job.”

“We can’t let him go home. If they come after her tonight, they’ll either kill him in the house or take him and kill him later. We can’t let that happen.”

He heartily agreed and as they approached the motel, he wondered if they had a chance in hell of saving a woman who didn’t believe she needed saving.