Demon Dean

Masking Emotions

There was a flash of light, and then, suddenly, Dean saw her.

Jo.

She looked happy, smiling like he'd never seen her smile before. She was sitting next to Ellen, a look of care free bliss on her face. It hurt Dean to see.

To think that she would have this look all the time, if it wasn't for him. If he hadn't let her go on that first hunt. The hunt that started it all.

She hadn't seen him yet, and he wanted to keep it that way. Dean would not, could not, let her see the monster he had become. Dean would take a knee, let Sammy handle this one. He would stay in the shadows, no matter how much it hurt him not to be able to see her. Because he knew that seeing him like this would hurt her, and he could never do that. Dean would never hurt Jo.

Sammy stepped forward, and Jo's face broke out into a grin. She got up from her mom, who Dean realized was just a memory, and hugged Sam. Dean could hear Sam asking her about the Grace. It seemed that she didn't know anything about it either. Sam was about to walk away, to continue the search, when Jo caught sight of Dean, lurking in the dark shadows.

"Dean?" Jo asked, looking positively radiant at seeing him.

"Hey, Jo. You look great. I guess death suits you." Why, Dean, why did you have to say something like that? You were supposed to keep the demon under control!

"Dean, what's wrong? You seem...different." Jo's voice trailed off.

Dean couldn't control the demon any more. Seeing Jo, feeling the pain of her loss, was too much for him. He couldn't deal with the feelings any more. He let the demon win. His eyes flickered black, and Jo gasped.

"Oh I'm different, all right. New and improved, I think." A cocky smirk appeared on his lips.

A single tear escaped Jo's eye, which was a surprise, since she usually could mask her feelings so well. "Oh Dean, what have you done?" She took a shuddering breath, and then seemed to master her emotions. "Just get the hell away from me, you black eyed bastard."

Dean obliged, and with a simple salute, all four of them were gone.

***

When she was sure she was alone, Jo cried, cried like she hadn't since her father died.

"Dean..."