Through Twisted Hearts

Jo set straight up, her eyes scanning the small loft that had been dubbed as hers. It was empty and Jo let out a silent breath of relief only to jump as a knock pounded on the door. Shit? Had she cried out? She wasn't sure. The knock came again and then she heard Dean's voice calling her name. She groaned a little, moving over to the door before swinging it open.

"Hey, everything okay kid?" He asked, frowning a little as he looked her over.

"Everything's fine Princess." Jo said, rolling her eyes. She grinned at the annoyed look on Dean's face.

"Don't call me that." He said tersely.

"Don't call me kid." She replied, crossing her arms. "What'd you want Deanie?" She asked affectionately, grinning when he rolled his eyes.

"You have a phone call." He told her, shaking his head a little. "Some dude from college." Jo groaned.

"Already? I've been gone less then a week." She complained, frowning. Dean chuckled a little.

"Yeah, well, we tried to tell him you were busy, but he kept insisting. He's already called twice. Nick something or other." Dean said easily. "He your boyfriend something?"

"Would you be jealous if he was?" Jo asked, unable to stop the smirk that crossed her lips. She sighed, stepping out into the hall and moving to close her door. Instinctively, she glanced beyond the door, but there was nothing there. She let out silent breath of relief before closing the door and turning to walk pass Dean.

"No," Dean replied, a little to quickly, Jo noticed. "Just curious, that's all. I mean, you didn't mention him when Ellen was grilling you about college."

"Slipped my mind." Jo shrugged easily. She hadn't mentioned Own either. There was a reason for that. Dean just grunted and followed her down stairs. She sighed a little, remembering the last time she had seen Own. Her first instinct then had been to call Dean, tell him everything and then beg him to bring him home. But then she would have to admit she failed. She'd have to admit that Dean was right and she shouldn't be a hunter at all, if she couldn't protect herself from a drunk human. Truthfully though, Jo could handle that, she could take it. What she could take would be seeing the look of disapointment in Dean's eyes that she knew would be there.Disapointment in her, in the fact that their hours of training had been worthless. That, she didn't think she could handle at all. Suddenly Jo felt a poke on her shoulder.

"Jojo?" Dean asked, lifting a brow at her. She'd almost forgot he was there. "You okay?"

"Fine." She replied quickly. To quickly.

"Where were you just then?" He asked curiously.

"Upstairs still asleep." Jo said with a little sigh. It wasn't an entire lie. Jo was shit tired from driving almost four days straight to get home. But Dean wasn't buying it. He frowned as he looked over her. He had noticed something different about her when she'd arrived, he had just brushed it off then. But looking over her now, she just...was different. He couldn't place it, but he knew it. That wasn't even the thing that bothered him most. She wasn't being honest with him. That hurt a little. He trusted Jo. She was suppose to trust him. So for her not to tell him, he knew it had to be something big. He frowned, watching as she stepped over towards the tellephone behind the bar. Jo moved specficially so that the others there couldn't read her lips or make sense of anything being said.

"Nik?" She asked, picking up the phone.

"Bout damn time." The deep voice on the other end complained and Jo just grinned.

"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning Nikky?" She asked, smirking a little.

"No, thankfully, it wasn't me." Nick replied easily.

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" Jo questioned a little.

"I've got some news Jojo," Nick said, sighing a little.

"Good or bad?" Jo asked curiously.

"Depends on how you look at it." Nick replied easily.

"Well just tell me so I can figure it out."

"Alright. Fine. It's Owen." He said softly . Jo froze.

"What about Owen?" Jo demanded, her voice tight.

"He's....ah he's dead Jo." Nick sighed. Jo froze at the words.

"A-are you sure?" She asked, her voice tight.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Nick replied. "You okay Jo?" He asked after a minute when there was no reply from her.

"Fine," She said tightly, "How did he die?"

"Car accident," Nick repied easily, "He was drunk."

"Surprising." Jo murmured, shaking her head. "When did it happen?"

"This morning." He told her. Jo frowned, remembering the dream. Remembering Owen's silent plea for help. It'd been a dream. Right?

"Thanks for letting me know Nick." She mumbled, sighing a little.

"Yeah, no problem. Ah, also, there's one more thing." Nick said and Jo could tell that whatever it was, he really want to tell her.

"What?" Jo asked with a sigh.

"It's Amy," Nick told her and Jo sighed. Amy was Owen's sister and she was one little bitch.

"Lemme guess. She's not to happy?" Jo murmured.

"Of course not," Nick replied. "And....she's sort of blaming you." Jo groaned.

"It's not my damn fault he's a drunk!" Jo hissed into the phone.

"No shit sherlock! You don't have to tell me twice!" Nick retorted, "But you know how Amy is."

"Yeah, yeah, the world would end and it would be my fault according to her." Jo said, shaking her head. "alright. Well, thanks for the heads up."

"Yeah, anytime. Take care of yourself Jojo." Nick ordered her.

"You to Nick," Jo said, nodding as she hung up the phone, scratching her head as she replayed Nick's words. Owen was dead. He was dead. That meant she could relax.

Right?