Carry On Winchester

Chapter 5 When Dani Met Jason

Trigger warning: Some shithead kids being a little homophobic.

Dani sat at the table by the window in the gaudy motel room. Dean was over on the bed scribbling down something in his journal. Sam got up from his spot on the other side of the table. He walked over to the mini-fridge.

"I think I'm gonna go out for a beer run." He said collecting his jacket as he moved toward the door. "Dani, want some ginger beers?" He asked.

"Sure, thanks."

The door closed behind him.

"Ginger beer?" Dean asked looking up at her. Aren't you twenty-two you can drink right?"

"Yeah I just don't," Dani said flipping to the next page on her laptop nonchalantly.

"Oh." He returned to his writing.

There was a long silence between them. Dani's brain whirred. She debated whether or not to mention the thing that she wanted to mention. She just didn't know if that thing that she wanted to mention would upset Dean.

"Did you mean to..." She trailed off.

Dean looked up at her, a little concerned.

"What?" He asked.

"Never mind,"

"No, what?"

"It's just something you said in the diner earlier. I don't even know if you noticed. You called me your kid...I just um." The words just wouldn't come out.

"I meant to." He said simply, confidently even. "And I meant it."

Dani locked eyes with him.

"You're my kid, Dani,"

A bright smile filled every inch of Dani's face. Something in Dean lit up like he had achieved something great by making her smile like that. In fact, he thought that was probably the best thing he had ever seen.

He sighed dramatically.

"Okay chill out. I'm not going to turn into a sap."

"Oh, I think you already are one." She giggled "You just like to pretend you're not."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. No chick flick moments." He said turning back to his journal to hide the small smile that slipped out.

Dani's phone buzzed on the table. When she flipped it over, her eyes softened. She answered.

"Hey dumb ass how are you?"

"We can't just pick up the phone like a normal couple?" Jason asked from the other end.

"No, no we can't." She wedged the phone between her shoulder and ear as she kept her eyes on the computer screen. A soft smirk on her face. "What's up?"

"Just checking in. How goes it?" Dani could hear the clattering of plates in the background. He must be at the diner.

"It going. It's a weird case though. Vanishing speakers and whatnot."

"Did you just say vanishing speakers?"

"Yeah, they boiled a lady's brain then disappeared."

"Shit."

"Yeah." She scoffed. "Dean said there was a crap tone of EMF there so."

"Something ghosty."

"Yup."

"How's everything in the Winchester family department?"

Her eyes momentarily flashed to her father. She smiled gently.

"Good, really good."

There was a pause on the other end as Jason took in the sound of joy in her voice it didn't happen all that often.

"That's amazing Ella," The tenderness in his voice made her heart flutter just a little. "Oh by the way Franklin's been suspended. The chief started asking questions when he came in with a limp. Nice one by the way. His friends soled him out."

"You're kidding. Can they put him away?"

Dean perked up a little at the change in her tone.

"Yeah, he's been suspended pending investigation. They'll want to talk to you when you get back. I think something actually might happen this time. That's if you chose to press charges. They're looking into the old case too. Wouldn't get your hopes up but there's a chance."

"Cautiously optimistic?"

"Yeah cautiously optimistic...How's your back?" Sadness seeped into his voice.

"It's okay." Dani reached up over her shoulder her fingers gently applying the smallest bit of pressure to the spot on her back. "Castiel healed me...That's not what you're really asking is it?"

"No,"