Summer of Sam

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

[ Summer of Sam: Ending B ]

Twenty minutes later, when he's washed his hands and put the kit away, Sam is standing in the bathroom again. Confident this time to complete his shave, since he'd threatened to tie Jo to the hotel bed and/or make her use the crutches in the car for the rest of the day - possibly tomorrow - maybe the next day if she didn't stay the hell on the bed at least until he'd finished putting their things to rights.

She's yelling at him, but only over the sound of the television and the water running over his razor. Got the books out, the notebooks, suggesting places to go, people to see. Things to check into. And maybe it's the afterglow talking, but it's the first time he's felt at all ready to address any of it.

"We're not going anywhere near Nebraska until it's been a week since I lied to your mom."



Well, there are still some things going unaddressed.

Comments

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

Which he hadn't asked for. Demanded. Hinted at.

"I'm not telling you what to do about her."

[tobeclosetohim]

"No, you aren't." She was failing ease. As she stared at him.
"I'm asking you not to change things because of her. Yet."

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

He frowns, words on the tip of his tongue. They're just phones. Dean's amulet against his chest, the ring on his finger. Nothing from John but what was given to Dean, but that was close enough.

They're just phones.

They're not.
But he can tell her they are.

And that hint of her frown that had his hand brushing her ankle. Though not touching anymore.


"All right. Fine."

[tobeclosetohim]

Like it's just her mother. Just.

The only one of their parents still alive.



Jo looked away, nodding.
Relief filled in her chest.
She couldn't explain that either.




Or the small shiver at the touch she didn't expect.
That did make her look back to Sam a second later.
Warmth and then the air again. There and gone.

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

He touches, she scowls. He doesn't, she snaps. He does, she twitches. He doesn't, she frowns.

But that tiny brush, making her shiver, making her look at him and hold... he might not ever understand her.

He can keep trying.

Hand on her unbroken leg, curled at her ankle, warm and gentle.

For so many reasons, not the least for the parent still living.

[tobeclosetohim]

She doubts she has to explain it.

It's not like she's going to see her mother.
Just like it's not the stipulation that matters.





Her expression became less severe. Softer.
Slightly grateful. "We should start with food."

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

It matters that he's not trying to deny her. It matters that she chooses this over home.

He might be smiling, if looked at very closely.

And nodding, too.

"You can order the new cards. Books, if you want them."




Because she is still confined to bedrest.

He's not even sorry.

[tobeclosetohim]

"Sadist." Fondly.

At least smart enough not to push yet.



"I want fries. And they should still be pipping hot."
Beat. Smile-smirking bright. "Laptop. Please."

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

He smiles back. Mocking. Smirking bright and cheerful, like her favorite expression.

"Of course, Miss Harvelle."

[tobeclosetohim]

She could kick him.
But that would make her move.




She chooses to smack his arm.

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

It is very painful and he is in terrible turmoil for it.

Somehow, he manages to get up and get the laptop to hand to her. Miraculously.




One thing he can always count on, even in the smallest of towns:

A diner serving fries, burgers, and shakes.

[tobeclosetohim]

At least it keeps her busy.


Put out some feelers and certain subjects sublty. Stare at her own phone a few times. Not touch it. Not yet. She'll work up to that.



Search for books.

Not think about the best people's houses.

[tobeclosetohim]

The first phone call is easy actually.

It's old hat to call people, ask for contacts. She's Jo Harvelle. Ellen & Bill's Daughter. There were people who called in for this type of thing all the time when the Roadhouse was still standing.

Even people who don't know the latest updates had been around, enough to know who they were. The names. It carried. It helped.



She had a name for Sam. When he'd get back.




Which couldn't be too long really.

Which meant. Jo studied the phone in her hand. The door.
The ceiling. And then typed the number from the spring.


She rubbed the middle of her forehead.
It rang twice, and then the click.


"Hey, Mom."

[tobeclosetohim]

It's not surprising that it starts with shock.
Surprise. Her name. The slow, quiet words.
Slow, not so quiet, questions for details.


Which weren't given.
Which led to shouting.


One day's stress about Winchesters & Her Daughter. Again.
Even as she was swearing at the empty hotel room? Jo smiled.








And all of it came down to an ultimatum.
But she knew it would when she dialed.
She had to have it walking in.



She was a Harvelle.
But she'd chosen her side.

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

The diner wasn't hard. As a bonus, he'd even found a bookstore with a back session devoted to the occult. Most of the stock was useless, but Sam asked questions, read a few jackets.

While he waited for their food to go at the diner, he read up on his newly purchased spellbook.


It's with some juggling that he gets through the front door, holding heavy book and two bags full of food.

Just in time to pause in the hallway at the voice sharp and terse and trying not to be upset.

"Fine. Call me back when you've figured it out."




There's a brief moment where he considers going back out the way he'd come.

But the door closes and he's still inside the room.

[tobeclosetohim]

She doesn't throw the phone.

She considers it. But she heard the door.






"Tell me the fries are still hot."

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

"Piping."

Thankfully.

If that was her mother on the phone, lukewarm fries might get him killed.

He moves further into the room, putting one bag on the table. As he moves toward her, there's one bag held out to her - along with the book.

"Got you a present."

[tobeclosetohim]

Jo looked from the bag to the book, as she took both.

"Diner's in timbuktu serving spell craft. I never knew you cared so."

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

"You're just mad you haven't earned a puzzle book yet."

He nodded back to the door, hands in his jacket pockets. "I left the shakes in the car. Be right back."

[tobeclosetohim]

The book goes into her lap.
While she riffles in the bag.



Food is a beautiful replacement focus.

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

It's true.

And with his bag of food on the table, he could pull out a chair, sit there to eat.

He brings it to the bed instead, sits down beside her.

Doesn't look at her, but he's there, next to her, as they pull out food to eat.


It's the second time she's spoken to her mother in at least four months.

[tobeclosetohim]

Jo balanced the fries on her lower thigh.


Eating her fries, ignoring her burger.
Turning pages on the book in her lap.
With the laptop still open in front.




"We have a witch only two hours away."

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

"One you know?" Sam asks, burger in hand.

[tobeclosetohim]

"No." She ate another fry, looking up.

"But I trust the reference."

[not-scully.livejournal.com]

He says nothing. But a face is made.

It's better than not having a witch at all. But it's far worse than knowing someone personally.

"All right. Are they going to be moving in the next couple of days?"