Jo had never been one for happily ever after. It was too implausible for her liking. All she had ever wanted to do was make her father proud. That was what she had vowed to do after his death, right? To carry out his legacy, to hunt down every evil son of a bitch that crossed her path? She had, and there was no way in hell that she was going to let anyone get in her way. Her mother constantly shot down the idea, unwilling to allow her only child to get killed like her husband. But Jo was obstinate in her decision. She hadn't only loved her father...she'd admired him, looked up to him...amazed by the fact that her dad was a hero.

She'd always wanted to be like him, and her desire to live up to his accomplishments only grew stronger after his death. For years on end, she was driven on by the grief that she bottled up inside of her. And soon, that grief turned into something much more powerful. That was the time where she told herself that she was going to become a hunter. The foe of anything that went bump in the night, anything that murdered innocents. She was going to be like her father, someone who does so much more than what she already did. Jo wasn't going to be a roadhouse bartender for the rest of her life. No way in hell.

But was she really a hero? It was the question she only inquired of herself. Was she really only doing the job to feel close to her father? Because that was the true reason behind her desire to hunt, no denying it. It'd been her dream for years now. But still, the question haunted her day and night. Was she strong enough to face the darkness of the world? And not only face it, but defeat it?

With this doubt still in mind, Jo stalled within the roadhouse, coping with a life of serving drinks, wiping down bars, and enduring the constant flirtations of wasted hunters that stumbled through the doors. For a long while, she was lost and confused. Too frightened to step into the dark and too submissive to even attempt to stand up to her mother.

And then the shell that she had forced herself to live in was broken. He stepped into her life...gave her hope that she would be enabled to carry out her father's legacy. He reminded Jo of her dad a bit. Strong and brave, with that 'I-don't-give-a-shit' persona. Maybe a little less caring than her father, but he was similar enough to hit Jo straight to the core.

Dean Winchester.

It was surreal. He was the only man...no. Only person in the entire world that she felt like she could relate with. Someone who understood her, who not only listened to her opinions, but also agreed with them? Maybe a little too overprotective, unwilling to believe that she had the capability to fend for herself...but most men were like that. He was...

The man of her dreams.

Just like that damned Prince Charming in the fairytales. Except much more badass. She fell for him instantly, not just the caring side that she got small glimpses of, but also his snarky personality and his 'I don't give a shit' attitude. Still, she tried to ignore her feelings, it was plain as day that he had no interest in her. But she simply kept falling...falling more and more in love with him.

When that day came that she finally accepted that she loved the young hunter, she told herself that she would not force herself on him. If this relationship ever came to be true...she wanted it to be much more than a one night stand. Dean happened to be famous for those. So, she decided to do the only really rational thing that she could do. She would wait. Forever if she had to, but she would wait...

Wait for Dean Winchester.

And then that fateful day came. Her last day on earth. She hadn't known when she had climbed into the truck with her mother and the trench coat-clad angel, Castiel. Or...maybe she had, since the night before had officially been named her 'Last Night on Earth'. It was more like the true perception of the fact that this was her last day to live her life hadn't completely sunk in yet.

Her heart still buzzed with energy from her confrontation with Dean last night. She could still feel his breath on her cheeks, the warmth of his closeness. His words still echoed in her ears...

So, dangerous mission tomorrow. Guess it's time to eat, drink, and...you know, make merry.

She smiled inwardly as she recalled her response to his statement. Are you giving me the last night on earth speech? And then his reply had made her heart perform somersaults inside her chest.

No. If I was...would...uh...would that work?

Jo had decided to play with the older Winchester a bit before breaking the news to him. She had leaned in for a kiss, feeling his soft lips brushing against hers ever so slightly. But then she had forced herself to stop, placing a finger to his mouth. No. Sweetheart, if this is our last night on earth, then I'm going to spend it with a little thing I call self-respect. She had chuckled humorously and walked away, still fighting the urge to succumb to his request. But she had told herself that she had not been waiting for a one night stand all this time...she would wait for real love.

And now, as she stood before the demon Meg, clutching her shotgun, the realization that this could very well be her last day on earth hit. I should've said yes. She thought vaguely, her heart galloping as the demon revealed that there was an assload of hellhounds at her service. She started as Dean let a sly comment slip past his lips and shot at the hellhound. The minute Sam's yell of 'Run!' ripped through the air, Jo's feet were flying across the asphalt.

Then she looked back. Thank God she looked back.

Dean was on the ground. Not unconscious or anything, but much, much worse. He had been tackled by one of the hellhounds. Jo's instincts shot into action. "Dean!" She shouted in a shock, racing back for him. She barely heard his protest of 'Jo, stay back!' What the hell was he thinking? Of course she wasn't going to stay back. Even if he wasn't aware that she was deeply and utterly in love with him, he still knew that she would do anything for him. And that she would. She lifted her shotgun and aimed at the spot just above Dean, within seconds, she had fired at the hellhound. There was a strangled bark, but she didn't stop, continuing to shoot in the bastard mutt's direction. She felt something large crash into her side and then...

There was the pain. She screamed out as it swiftly ignited from her side and hurtled through her, richocheting through her body at lightning speed. Vaguely, she felt blood splatter against her chin and neck. Her blood. For a split second, she truly thought that she was going to be sick. Her brain felt like helium had been pumped into it, and then suddenly, her entire body felt light and airborne. When Jo's vision partially swam back into focus, she realized that she was cradled bridal-style in Dean's arms, clutched to his strong, muscular chest. She whimpered quietly, burying her face into his jacket. Her torso and abdomen felt like they were on fire, scorching away her skin.

Jo was still whimpering slightly when Dean rested her up against the counter in the abandoned hardware store. She wanted to tell him to keep holding her, to stay with her for once, but she didn't have the strength. Her mother was by her side in a panicked frenzy, examining her daughter's wounds. Jo felt her own blood ooze out of her body. She swallowed thickly and stared up at her companions' faces. Each one of them looked absolutely sickened by the atrocity of her open, throbbing injuries.

Jo's wounds had been expertly patched up. They still hurt like a bitch, but at least her blood was no longer pouring out of her body. She sat rigidly against the counter, her legs paralyzed, vaguely listening to her mother's incessant reassurances and consolations. Jo observed Sam and Dean's movements in a half-conscious state. She said nothing. She only broke her silence when she heard the two brothers discussing how to get her out of the town. It was the first time she had spoken since the attack.

"Stop." Her voice was weak, and the two Winchesters turned to look at her inquisitively. "Guys, stop. Can we...uh...be realistic about this, please?" Sam and Dean strode over to where she and her mother sat on the ground, and she shifted, letting out a small groan of pain as her actions disrupted her wounds. "I can't move my legs. I can't be moved. My guts are being held in by an Ace bandage. We gotta..." She trailed off for a split second, allowing the truth of her own wounds to sink into her brain. "We gotta get our priorities straight here." She saw the two brothers exchange a look. "Number one, I'm not going anywhere."

That was when her mother jumped in. "Joanna Beth, you stop talking like that."

Jo cut her off swiftly before she could say anything more. "Mom. I can't fight. I can't walk. But I can do something." She spoke quickly and efficiently, her brain reeling at a hundred miles per hour as she struggled to formulate a plan in her dazed, injured state. "We've got propane, wiring, rock salt, iron nails...everything we need."

"Everything we need?" Jo was mildly surprised by Sam's question.

"To build a bomb, Sam." She said in response to the younger Winchester's confused inquiry.

"No." Dean stepped in now. Jo's gaze shifted to the true man she loved, almost unable to look him in the eye. "Jo, no."

Jo had to admit that she was greatly warmed by his desire to keep her safe, but annoyance was flowing through her veins. They were hunters. Sacrifices were a part of their life. And this was for the greater good. One life wasn't going to make a difference. "You got another plan?" She asked him, her voice raising an octave in her irritation. "You got any other plan? Those are hellhounds out there, Dean. They've got all of our scents. Those bitches will never stop coming after you." She now addressed every person in the store, her brown gaze revealing the undeniable truth in her statement. "We let the dogs in, you guys hit the roof, make a break for the building next over. I can wait here with my finger on the button, rip those mutts a new one. Or at least you'll get a minutes' head start, anyway."

Her mother's voice was shaking, her lip trembling as she protested weakly. "No. I...I won't let you."

"This is why we're here, right?" Jo asked gently. Ellen shook her head, tears beginning to leak from the corners of her eyes. "If I can get us a shot on the devil..." She trailed off, looking up into Dean's eyes. "Dean, we have to take it."

"No!" Ellen exclaimed, her head also snapping up to look at Dean. "That's not-"

"Mom." Jo said quietly, cutting her off. Her lips curled into a hint of a sad smile. "This might literally be your last chance to treat me like an adult. Might wanna take it?" Ellen's stifled cries broke down into full out sobs, and it broke Jo's heart to see such emotion in her mother.

But this was the only way.

The bomb was ready. Sam gripped Jo's hand in his briefly, smiling sadly at his fellow hunter and friend before standing and striding towards to entrance to the hardware store. And then Dean was there. He seemed to be having trouble looking directly into Jo's gaze. Their hands touched as he placed the button into her outstretched palm. Jo expected him to let go immediately afterwards, but he didn't. Instead, he held on, tightly grasping her fingers in his. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes, but she struggled to blink them away, wanting to be strong in her last moments with the man she truly loved.

There was a short pause where neither of them spoke. Finally, Dean broke the silence. "Okay, this is it. I'll see you on the other side, probably sooner rather than later." Jo let out a small strangled breath before replying.

"Make it later."

His eyes were still on hers, their deep green irises studying every pore of her face, as if he wanted to embed each and every one of her features into his mind. And then he was leaning forwards, and for a moment, Jo thought he was going to kiss her. But when his lips pressed against her forehead, she closed her eyes, disappointment flowing through her. Her lip trembled. How could she have been so immature? The demon possessing Sam all those years ago had been right. Jo was like a sister to Dean, nothing more. But when he pulled back and their gazes met again, it was as if she saw him for the first time. Realization flooded his eyes as he finally understood what it was she wanted.

And then his lips were on hers. Gentle at first, uncertain, and then, as she kissed him back, a message that it was okay, it became more passionate. She could almost feel the love flowing between both of them. This was what she had always dreamed of. Dean Winchester, someone who had started out as a simple crush, kissing her as if there was no one else in the world he cared about. Even when he pulled away and pressed their foreheads together, she could still feel the warmth and pressure of his lips on hers. He clutched her tightly, as if he never wanted to let go. But both of them knew that he had no choice. The three words were on the tip of Jo's tongue...I love you...but she never got them out.

Because he was gone.

Even after her death, she always reserved one section of her heart for the hunter. No matter what. She had sacrificed herself for him. It hadn't just been a choice...it had been common sense. Because she loved him. And he finally loved her back. For years, she had waited. Waited for that one moment where Dean Winchester, the love of her life, would fall for her as she had fallen for him. And it paid off.

And now...she would wait for him still.

Wait for Dean Winchester.