My Own Hero

Picking Up JJ

-JENSEN'S POV-

Scarlett and I stood out on the porch of Danneel's house and I pounded on the door furiously. Up until that point, I had been relatively calm thanks to Scarlett's constant reassurances that everything would be fine, but now that we were here, all the anger and hatred I felt for my ex-wife came bubbling up to the surface and was dangerously close to overflowing. What felt like an eternity later, the door opened and Danneel stood there with a smile plastered on her face.

"Jensen, what a pleasant surprise," she greeted me.

"Cut the crap, Danneel. You know why we're here."

"JJ is asleep."

"That's fine. Where's her bag?"

"Now, let's talk about this, Jay. I mean, surely we can work something out."

"There's nothing to talk about, Danneel. I'm taking my daughter with me."

Danneel glared at me and I matched her expression angrily.

"Like hell you are," she hissed.

Not gracing her with a response, I instead pushed my way past her into the house.

"Jensen, stop!" Danneel called, hurrying after me.

I headed into Danneel's room, raiding the closet for the box that held all of JJ's official documents. I gave them to Scarlett to put in the bag from the car.

"Where's her bag, Danneel?" I asked as I made my way to my daughter's room.

"I swear to God, if you wake her right now," she threatened.

"Oh, calm down. Now, I'm going to ask one last time and I expect an answer. Where is her bag?"

"In the closet."

"Scar, would you-"

"I got it," Scarlett nodded, heading over to the closet and taking out the pink suitcase.

Danneel watched silently from the doorway as I raided JJ's drawers for outfits and gave them to Scarlett to pack away. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her anger was evident as we worked quietly so we wouldn't wake the sleeping toddler.

"That all?" Scarlett whispered.

I nodded and she zipped up the bag while I headed over to the bed.

"Jensen, please," Danneel whisper yelled at me.

"Get out of the way, Danneel."

I picked up my daughter, careful not to wake her. Her little arms and legs wrapped around me and her head laid on my shoulder like a pillow. Scarlett carried the suitcase behind me as we made our way back toward the front door.

"She needs me. I'm her mother!" Danneel continued.

"I'll see you in court, Danneel."

We left her standing on the porch dumbstruck. Scarlett put JJ's suitcase and our bag of supplies in the trunk while I got my daughter situated in the back of the car we had rented. She made some noises in her sleep, but didn't wake up.

"What are you going to tell her?" Scarlett asked quietly once we were both situated up front.

I looked at JJ in the rearview mirror, observing her as she slept.

"I'll figure something out," I sighed, putting the car in gear.

***

"We're back. Just picking up JJ's bag and we'll get on the road," Scarlett was saying into her phone.

"Daddy?" JJ asked me.

"Yes, Birdie?"

"Is Scarlett my Mommy now?"

"Not yet, sweetheart."

"Why not?"

"Um..."

"Alright, sounds good. Thanks again, Jared," Scarlett finished the call, hanging up. "We ready to go?"

"Just about," I replied, spotting JJ'S pink suitcase come out the chute onto the conveyor belt.

When it got closer, I stepped forward and grabbed it.

"Now we're ready."

"Awesome. Come on, J Bird."

Scarlett held out her hand and JJ happily latched onto it with a big smile. We headed out to the car and loaded up to head back to set. We would have made a stop at the house to drop off JJ's bag, but Jared had informed Scarlett that the producers were pissed we took off with virtually no warning and needed us back on set ASAP.

"Are we going to work?" JJ asked Scarlett as she buckled her in the back.

"Yeah. Daddy and I have to work," Scarlett informed her.

"Okay."

***

JJ wanted to sit in Scarlett's chair and watch while we filmed more scenes. Scarlett and I had been called in to talk to Kripke and Singer when we first arrived. Scarlett took the lead, explaining everything to them, and surprisingly, they were really understanding about the whole ordeal. I also apologized for my behavior earlier that week and it was decided that plans for Dean and Faith to break up would be scrapped.

While it hadn't put things back a ton, we had still gotten behind in the schedule thanks to the day we had cut short due to Scarlett getting drunk and then the additional day and a half where we headed down to Texas to pick up my daughter. So it was way later than it normally would have been by the time filming ended for the day, and JJ was curled up asleep in Scarlett's chair when we had finished.

"Hey, Scarlett?"

"What is it, Jay?"

Her hazel eyes found mine and I took a moment to appreciate the sight of my daughter asleep in her arms. I really did love when the two interacted, and hoped to make it a more permanent thing eventually.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything," I replied vaguely, unable to pinpoint one specific thing I was thanking her for.

Between being so understanding about my need to pick up JJ, to promising to support my decision to fight Danneel for custody, to taking the lead when talking to Kripke and Singer, I was just really thankful to have her in my corner once more. She smiled at me, hazel eyes sparkling brightly.

"You're welcome, Douchebag."

I chuckled as she carried JJ away so she and I could change and leave for the day. We had to be back early the next morning and with the late hour, we needed to hurry if we wanted to get any sort of sleep before having to come back to work some more. I smiled to myself before following Scarlett out of the sound stage.