but oh what a year

[patrols]

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party | jack, cas, jo eventually sam + others

[decoys]

♫

[Carol has enlisted the number of able bodied young people living in her house to make sure that everything is arranged appropriately for the party. Almost everything is loaded inside and ready to go, save for some of the alcohol order. Jo had volunteered herself to go and get the rest of it in, given that slinging bottles of booze is something she still has the muscle memory for.

She’s just managed to load the case of beer into her arms turning towards the driveway to shift the balance, and proceeds to jump out of her skin when two people who weren’t there five minutes earlier appear in front of her. One, at least, she does recognize.]

Jesus, Cas!

[“Hello, Jo.” Cas says with a small smile. "Do you need help?”]

No, I got it.

[She shifts the box so that she gets a good grip, before looking over at the young man she doesn’t recognize.]

Let me guess—you must be Jack.

[ergowwwd]

( First, there's a slight sheepishness over surprising her, because he tries not to. His dad not as much. But, it is faster than driving.

Noticing Jo is helping and that there's more to help with, Jack picks a box Jo isn't holding, testing the weight, and then turning with a smile. )

Jo Harvelle. ( He knows how offputting it can be confronting someone with everything you know about them because of your new place in the universe, so he leads with a smile. And not her life story. ) It's nice finally meeting you in person.

[decoys]

Nice meeting you too.

[Cas follows Jack's lead in picking up one of the other spare boxes. Jo tips her head to the door.]

C'mon in. You're here early enough that I'm sure Carol will find something for you to do.

[In a house this big, there's plenty to go on. She'll lead them back to where she was setting up the bar, and they can drop off the extra liquor there to start.]

[ergowwwd]

We like being of help.

( Well, Jack does. Castiel sort of just goes with it. Jack has fond memories of the Lockwood mansion and of his graduation, and he sets the extra liquor behind the bar. )

Are they asking you to pour drinks for the party?

[decoys]

[She shakes her head.]

No, it's going to be self-serve. They've bought enough alcohol for a small army, but from what I've been told that's either a vampire/werewolf thing or a Mystic Falls thing, depending who you ask.

[ergowwwd]

It's a Winchester thing. Well, a Dean thing.

( A consideration. )

So maybe it's a converging of the three. ( That makes sense. ) I did want to come early so we could talk, if that's alright with you. We could talk back at the car? I know there's only one more load each, as Dean would say.

[decoys]

Yeah, sure.

[She tips his head for her to follow him, while Cas is sidelined by someone else, so the two of them can talk alone. Possibly Ellen. We'll come back to him later.

Jo leads the way back to the rest of the boxes and looks back at him curiously.]

So what do you want to know?

[ergowwwd]

( Ellen will definitely pull Cas in to help in the kitchen. He's good at arranging little finger foods, right? Now he is! )

It's not about what I want to know, though I am curious as to why you and all the others have crossed back over. I know you don't have the answer. I should, if I'm being honest, and it vexes me, though I'd appreciate you keeping that between us. What did Dean and Sam tell you about me?

[decoys]

[Jo's brow furrows because well. Sam did tell her one thing, which probably gives it away when she asks this question:]

Aren't you supposed to know? I mean, they said you're ... the big guy.

[ergowwwd]

Technically. ( There is no technically. ) It's outside of everything I know. I only know that there are anomalies I did not see coming. But, ones that aren't hurting Sam or Dean, or the people they love. So, I have another goal, besides find out why. Keep those who want to be kept here, here. Second chances aren't given lightly.

( But they do upset the balance. )

[decoys]

[The fact that God doesn't even know what's going on is sure something. Jo has a lot more questions that she wants to ask, but she also doesn't want to pry too much.]

No, they're not. And I don't think any of those effected are looking to waste them.

[She's certainly not.]

Is there anyone who could do something off your radar? Wouldn't that have to be like ... same tier as you, power wise?

[ergowwwd]

Please, call me Jack.

( He's not great at not reading minds, but, sometimes he can't help it. It was easier undercover. Maybe he should treat the party like he's undercover. The Winchesters have kept Jack locked and sealed. How would people react if they knew God was at their Christmas party. )

I think the point is they have the freedom to spend their second chance however they wish.

( Though he would favor the more noble. )

Or, someone warded against me. Or, someone from your worlds. Several someone's. I did wonder if there were a group of people across the various universes working together. But, I wouldn't know where to start. And I don't want to leave this world without me in the midst of this upheval.

[decoys]

[It takes her a minute to realize why he says that, but eventually she nods.]

Sorry.

[She will try to ... course correct her brain. Moving on:]

Well, we have a multiverse expert guy coming in a couple days. He might be able to answer some questions? Or have some kind of tech?

[ergowwwd]

I should be. It's not always easy to control. I'm better at it when things have reason.

( Sorry, Jo. )

Barry. He could help. That's a very good idea. No wonder Dean and Sam used to hunt with you.

[decoys]

Someone had to keep the two of them on track.

[It's a joke, really, because the last thing that Sam and Dean wanted was for Jo to be there at first. She'd like to think she earned her keep though.

They reach the car and they grab the last of the boxes to bring back in.]

I was hunting with them when they were still young and dumb though. I think you got them when they were more ... well-seasoned?

[ergowwwd]

They do tend to... lose the plot sometimes.

( Mostly in their preoccupations or sibling rivalry. )

They're human. All humans do dumb things at any age. And, when I entered their lives, it wasn't easy. But, eventually, we all became family.

[decoys]

Good. That's something they could have used a little of.

[Back to the bar they go, and Jo smirks as she put it down.]

Though being raised by Dean Winchester was probably an ... interesting education.

[Look, she mostly knows pre-apocalypse Dean, she assumes he's probably grown up too, but some things stay the same.]

[ergowwwd]

Well, they have a lot of it now. Family and friends. Have you met Jody or Donna? Or Claire?

( He follows, cheerful. )

Beer is good. Hunting is only there when you're ready. Driving is not easy. And don't wake him, even if he's overslept. You send Sam to do that. Also, never comment on how he eats. ( A beat. ) Like a cow.

[decoys]

[Jo shakes her head.]

Only really had the chance to meet the people here. But Elena and the others seem like good people.

[But she laughs as he describes Dean to a T.]

Yeah, that sounds like Dean. Good to know some things never change.

[ergowwwd]

They are. I like Elena a lot. She's a doctor and she looks after the students at the Salvatore school.

( His smile widens when she laughs. )

He's still grown. And I like him with Elena. And Sam with Allison. Though, I miss Eileen.

[decoys]

[Eileen was after her time. But she's heard good things all the same.]

I'm glad they're in a good place. I think there were a lot of points when it didn't seem like they would get there.

[ergowwwd]

In their line of work, it is never guaranteed. One thing we all can minimally appreciate with Chuck writing the story; he kept them alive.

( Long enough to fight back. )

Dean likes to say that family doesn't end in blood. And I'm cosmic proof. As are you. And your mother. And a lot of the impending party.

[decoys]

I've got a lot of names to learn.

[But she's looking forward to it. Especially if she's going to get back out there again, it's good to have a network.]

But I think it'll be good. Getting everyone on the same page.

[ergowwwd]

Maybe they'll have name tags.

( He could just tap a finger to her head and give her pre-knowledge. But, that comes with its own problems, flooding someone's brain with information they didn't have before. )

Yeah. Or, just to party. Because, it is one. And Dean likes a party.

[decoys]

I think we all like a party. We don't get to have very many.

[She pulls out one of the bottles and smirks.]

And definitely not with booze this good. Carol has taste.