mandalus :: the city of fates.

[The phone starts in silence for just a moment, apparently set up on a worn bar counter. There's no movement until someone sets a beat-up metal can at the edge of the video and picks it up.]

Hey everyone. Now that we're all better, I'll be looking for a person or two to work here at The Roadhouse. The hours won't be too bad, and the pay is enough to live on. [Well, maybe. She does her best to help.]

In other news, I wonder who the next police chief is gonna be. [Her sigh may have been louder than she planned on it being. She did miss the grumpy Englishman.] If anyone had business outside of work with Gene, let me know. I'll try to take care of it. [Who else would do it? She didn't know if Alex was still around and she wasn't sure she wanted to look.]

Oh, if you're gonna come about the job, don't be allergic to dogs. [As if on cue, there's a bark from off-screen and Jo winks at the camera.] Ash gets around the place, just like her namesake. At least she can't get on the pool tables. [She looks back at the phone now and nods.]

Like Dean said a couple of days ago, we've got the range open if you need to practice shooting, and The Roadhouse is open again if you need a drink while you're not using a gun.

I-

[The word is quiet, barely whispered as the video focuses solely on Jo's downcast face. Despite the adrenaline still coursing through her veins she stays still for a moment longer, finally taking a deep breath and snapping an unseen lighter shut, only the metallic click betraying that she actually had moved some part of her.]

I'm back. [And suddenly everything is moving again as she collapses on the spot, slumping to the train station floor. Her shoulders are illuminated by a stray shaft of the setting sun that almost seems to set her on fire as she drops the phone to the floor in front of her without bothering to turn it off, tucking her chin against her chest and curling into herself.]

[The video comes on discreetly at first, and the view of a worn wooden floor comes into sight. Beyond that, the most noticeable sound is a guitar being strummed slowly. Eventually, the random strumming finally sorts itself into a clear song. A quiet bark from off-camera results in the camera being moved to a bulldog puppy barking at the bare feet of the person apparently taking the video.]

Ash wants to sing. [The camera person laughs, a sleepy laugh that some may recognize as Jo’s laugh. A deeper laugh comes right after and the video shows Dean sitting on a bar stool with a beaten down old guitar.]

Kinda hope she sings better than human Ash probably would. [Dean flashes Jo a smirk.] You recordin’ this?

No, I’ve just got my phone out so it looks like I’m textin’ people and you’ll ignore me. [She laughs again, moving around the bar counter to get a better shot of Dean on a bar stool.] ...I’ll keep it around for the next time I’m hungover.

[Dean shakes his head at her with a little roll of his eyes and just looks down at the guitar in his hands.] Been a while since I even picked one of these things up. I was probably like… nineteen, twenty, somethin’ like that.

[He looks back up at her briefly before deciding to sing a few of the words, his voice a rough and low sound when he’s not actually wailing at the top of his voice in the car.] She’s got a smile that it seems to me, reminds me of childhood memories, where everything was as fresh as a bright blue sky…

[Unseen on camera, Jo opens her mouth with a retort prepared about how long ago that must have been. When Dean begins singing, she shushes herself and sets the camera down on the counter off to her side, propping it up against an empty bottle and making sure that they were both in the shot.

Dean keeps singing, his voice sometimes a little too quiet and a little too deep to be made out clearly on the audio but when he gets to the chorus he picks up a little, his fingers moving the strings more firmly.] Oh, oh, oh, ohhh, sweet child o’ mine…

[Jo shakes her head as he reaches the chorus, turning back to make sure the camera is still on with a broad smile before she joins in for the last part of the chorus and the second verse.] Oh, oh, oh, ohhh, sweet love o’ mine. She's got eyes of the bluest skies, as if they thought of rain. [Jo turns away from Dean and the camera, watching her dog run around the bar as the verse continues.] I hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain.

[Dean flashes another grin at her.] Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place where, as a child, I’d hide and pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by.

[It’s then that Dean hits a bum note and laughs, stopping playing and giving Jo a playful smirk.] You’re pretty good. Didn’t make my eardrums bleed or nothin’.

Oh, come on. I don’t do anything bad. [She shakes her head with a quiet laugh before reaching out to grab her phone, zooming in on Dean’s face with another laugh.] At least you didn’t make my hangover worse. I’ll give you points for that.

I can think of like… ten different things you suck at. Now, gimme that, I’m deleting this. [He snatches up the phone, then pauses as he realizes it’s recording to the network, not Jo’s phone.] Jo! What the Hell? It’s broadcasting!

Shit. You’re kidding, right? [She grabs the phone back, turning it over once to investigate, accidentally revealing a flash of legs barely covered by the shorts she’s wearing, before cursing again.] Well, that’s that. ...Hey, everyone.

Yeah, hey. Jo’s an idiot. [He flashes a big false grin and gets up, moving around the bar to grab a drink for himself.] Oh, hey, since we’re here, tell ‘em about the range. [He pops the top off a bottle of beer and slides it across to her before he grabs another for himself.]

Shut up, Mr. “I’m going to take the guitar in Jo’s living room and play sappy songs all morning”. [She rolls her eyes and ignores the beer for the time being.] What Dean’s talking about is the gun range we’re opening. Bill and John’s Shooting Range. It’s outside of town, on the desert.

[Dean rolls his eyes right back and takes a sip from his beer.] Basically, this place needs to learn real gun control and, between us, me and Jo know pretty much all there is to know about firearms. So, yeah, we’re openin’ and you can come learn not to shoot yourself in the face.

...We’ve got guns you can buy too, if you don’t have one yet. Just come out and practice so you don’t kill someone you don’t wanna when the time comes for you to protect yourself. [Dean looks over at Jo, then shrugs and cuts the video. That’s all they need to say on that matter.]

[The shaky video begins just as Jo walks away from a table with a rough-looking trio of men, who continue calling after her. The audio is too muffled to make anything out, but it is easily seen that the calls aren't polite or welcome. This is most likely why the video was turned on in the first place.

The scrawniest of the group stands and follows her to the bar, leaning across it to smack her ass as she poured a mug of beer for another customer. Jo shot an apologetic look at the waiting customer before turning smoothly on her heel to launch the contents of the clear mug at the man who just groped her. The camera is adjusted slightly and audio is clearer as a man from behind the camera jumps forward to pull the scrawny jerk away from the counter before he could flail hard enough to hit Jo.]
( This got really long so here's a cut to save your friends list )

[The video begins with Jo standing beneath the old clock that hung in the Roadhouse, the frame carefully adjusted so the time, three o'clock, can be seen.]

Are you tired of me yet? Well, don't be. [As she speaks she leaves the clock, moving to unlock the door.] The Roadhouse is back to normal hours again. Tell your friends.

And since it's almost Saint Patrick's Day, this weekend if you show up with green on, you get a free beer. Two if you can tell me how Saint Patrick's Day ended up being such a huge party occasion. Or three. [...She has always wondered.] We'll figure that out.

While I've got your attention, I'm lookin' for someone to help bus tables and flip burgers in the evenings. I won't demand any experience, just the will to work and some personal pride.

Have a good Thursday. [She gives the camera an enthusiastic thumbs up and ends the video post.]



Private Text to Gene Hunt
I assume you'll be here soon for your free drink?

Private Text to Dean Winchester
Are we gonna talk about those voice mails or should I pretend I didn't hear them until it all comes up naturally?

Private Text to Sam Winchester
Is Ruby back? Are you doing okay?

( Action to the Winchester Household, morning of the 6th )

Audio network post, afternoon of the 6th
...So, what did I miss after that visit from our arch nemesis?

[The video starts with a nice view of Jo's lower leg, snow, and part of her white El Camino until she adjusts it so her face is visible in the evening light as she reloads her favorite shotgun.]

Fuckers finally figured out where I was running my raids from, so I don't suggest you come by the Roadhouse if you were wanting quiet. [She frowns, setting the Winchester 1887 upright against the car beside her and reaching for her Mossberg 930 to reload it as well.]

They're underestimating us for now, but I don't know if they'll keep that up for long. [The Mossberg goes down near the Winchester and she checks a silver pistol before nodding to the phone.]

Everyone doin' okay? [Dean, Castiel, Gabriel...and so many others.] Let me know. [As she picks up the phone to end the call there's a smattering of gun fire over her head, and she curses under her breath before the feed ends.]