Supernatural Series Rewrite- Season 7

Defending Your Life: Final Part

Jo appears behind Dean with a sad look on her face.

"You know, I named our daughter after you, Jo. Her name is Joanna."

"She's a beautiful little girl, and I am honored," she smiles. She walks closer to the salt line, but she can't cross it. "You both know I'd never do this."

"I know," Dean sighs.

"I guess it's his thing. Some kind of twisted eye for an eye."

"It's okay."

"No, it's not," you and Jo say at the same time. "You deserve better."

"No, you did. You deserved better, Jo."

"Dean, my life was good. Really."

"He was right, you know, about me," he sighs.

"No, he wasn't."

"Please, stop, Dean," you sigh.

"You were a kid," Dean says to Jo.

"Yeah, so were you!" you exclaim.

"No... hunters are never kids. I never was. I didn't even stop to think about it."

"It's not your fault. It wasn't on you," Jo tries to reason.

"No, but I didn't want to do it alone. Who does? No, the right thing would have been to send your ass back home to your mom."

"I'd like to have seen you try. He was right about one thing."

"What, your massive crush on me?" he tries to joke.

"Shut up," she smiles. "You carry all kinds of shit you don't have to, Dean. It kinda gets clearer when you're dead."

"Well, in that case, you should be able to see that I am 90%... shit. I get rid of that, what then?"

"You get freedom, Dean. Free from things that are holding you back. Freedom from this life," you say.

"Dean... Y/N... it's time," she whispers.

She flickers from the edge of the salt circle to the oven where she turns on all four burners only slightly so that the gas starts to burn without actually bringing the flame.

"Y/N, take Joanna and get out of here."

"No, I'm not leaving you."

"Y/N! Do what you're told for once in your fucking life!" Dean yells.

You should feel bad or flinch from his tone, but you don't. Instead, your eyes turn blue as magic shoots out of your hand and over to the oven. Your magic undoes what Jo did, and you turn to Dean angrily.

"I'm not fucking leaving you!"

Jo turns the oven back on and flickers to the end of the salt circle, unable to get in.

"Come on, Dean. I used to hunt ghosts. I know the tricks."

It suddenly becomes cold in the room, and the window right behind you frosts over with ice. Jo is going to cause the circle to break by using the weather. The window breaks and a strong gust of wind blow inside the room, breaking the salt circle. You could turn off the stove again, but what you really need to get rid of is Jo herself. You and Dean turn and see Jo standing inside the circle, a solemn look on her face.

"He's making me do this."

"Y/N, please get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Think of Joanna!"

"I am."

Jo reaches into Dean's pocket and takes out his lighter. If she lights it, then this whole room is going up in an explosion... the same way she died. You grip Jo's hand tightly with the strength of your magic. Your eyes are bright blue, your hand is glowing the same color, and you're ready to kill her if it means protecting your family. You really liked Jo, but she's dead and your family is alive. There is no competition.

"Y/N, please don't make me hurt you or your daughter," Jo begs.

"Y/N, get out of here!" Dean pleads.

"I'd like to see you try," you growl.

Jo lifts the arm you're not holding and places it on your chest over your heart, but she pauses before she hurts you. It seems like she snaps out of whatever spell is linking to her and Osiris. She removes her hand from your chest and yanks her hand away from you. She gives one sad look to each of you before vanishing. You use your magic to turn off the stove, and you look around the room in concern.

"Jo?" Dean asks emotionally.

"She's gone... that must mean Sam killed him."

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You look out at the lake in front of you, enjoying the calm breeze. The sun is shining, the monster is dead, everyone is saved, and you feel good for once in your life.

"So, uh, did it seem like... you know, like... she was in pain?" Sam stutters, asking about Jo.

"No, just kind of faded. Regular Jo. Actually, maybe a little happier," Dean chuckles. After a pause, he takes a deep breath. "I got a question. Where the hell did that come from, volunteering to defend me, and being my witness?"

"He was gonna kick us out," you say.

"I don't know, but in another life, you uh... you might have made a pretty decent douchebag," Dean says to his little brother. "You were pretty convincing."

"So, who was he talking about?"

"Who?"

"That whole final witness thing."

"No idea," he says after a beat. "Honestly, that could be just about anybody dead we know. By the way... I mean, I get why Judge Judy put me on trial–I got guilt coming out of my pores–but why'd he skip you two?"

"I think I just don't... feel guilty anymore."

"Yeah, same," you agree.

"Come on," Dean scoffs.

"Look, I don't know what to tell you, Dean. I mean, I've spent a lot of time feeling pretty shitty for like, my whole life."

"I can't feel guilty about the things I have no control over," you shrug.

"What, you two got a secret stash of happy pills?"

"Hell."

"Joanna," you say.

Dean just looks confused by those answers, so you and Sam elaborate.

"Look, I'm not saying it's logical. I just feel like I did a lot of stuff I should have felt bad for, and then I paid a lot of dues and came out the other side, you know?"

"I take one look at Joanna and realize that she needs me to be my best and to look after her. You should feel the same way, honestly."

"And that works? I mean, you two really feel like your slate's wiped?"

"No. Nothing ever gets wiped," you shake your head.

"Sometimes I see Lucifer when I brush my fucking teeth, but I guess I just finally feel like... my past is my past, and I can move on with my life. You know, hopefully."

"What's the point of living if you're just going to wallow over stuff you can't control. You can't control what monsters do, Jo's death was out of the question, and we can't control anything but our own life. It's not just us, Dean, everyone has to look out for themselves. Everyone carries guilt they shouldn't. You know it, and I know it."

"Easier said than done," he scoffs.

"Not arguing that."

"Well, I don't know whether to be, uh, jealous or weirded out."

"You'll get used to it. I mean, I don't want to sound lame, but... I kind of feel good, Dean."

"Well, you are going to be a pleasure to ride with."

All three of you get into the car, and you strap Joanna to her car seat. You wish Dean saw things how you see them, then maybe he'll start really living his life the way he wants to.