✘ Jo Harvelle | 001 | Video/Possible Action | Day 74

[lightgunhustler]

[The young woman peering into the camera looks more than a little worse for wear, her lower lip split open and the side of her face streaked with dried blood. She rakes her hair away from her face, revealing a long but shallow cut on her forehead, no doubt responsible for at least some of the blood, though there's too much for that to be her only injury.

She rubs the heel of her hand against her eye, grimacing as she sets her jaw, giving a quick, anxious glance over her right shoulder before turning her attention back to the video feed.]

Whatever's going on, I'm not laughing. If there's anyone out there who can offer an explanation, I'm all ears.

[A communication device meant that someone had to be out there listening, didn't it? Honestly, she doubts anyone thinks this is some kind of joke. She's pretty sure she hadn't made it out of that hardware store alive. So what the hell was this?

It wasn't like any afterlife she'd ever imagined.

She looks hesitant, biting at her lower lip for a moment before speaking again.]

Mom? Sam, Dean?

[They'd been there. They couldn't have gotten far before -- well. Before this. It was worth asking, wasn't it? Whatever was going on, she'd feel a lot better knowing they were in this together. Or maybe it really was some kind of run-down afterlife. Maybe she really was alone.

God. She hoped not.]

Comments

video

[hung_garian]

Do mine eyes deceive me? Can this really be another stylishly distressed Winchester groupie? Just a few more and we'll have the complete set!

[ video ]

[foundacause]

[ She's trying to be on her best behaviour and not upset the locals. But ugh, she's a demon and it's just too tempting. ]

Well, well, well. Military Barbie doll, looks like you finally joined the party.

[lightgunhustler]

[Jo narrows her eyes sharply at the feed.]

I'm not a groupie.

[Amused? Nope.]

[lightgunhustler]

[There's a face Jo really hoped she wouldn't see again so soon. She'd been keeping her fingers crossed for Dean to blow it clean away, in fact.]

What the hell are you doing here?

[She tenses visibly. God, she hopes Meg hasn't brought any of her pets.]

[foundacause]

[ Well that's where things get interesting, see, since Dean is living with Meg like the best of friends. Winchesters. Can't trust them. ]

Firstly, not Hell. Shame, I know. As for what I'm doing here? Oh, you know, babysitting an angel, screwing a Winchester...

[hung_garian]

[He waves a hand dismissively.]

Whatever it is you crazy kids call yourselves, then. I'm not up-to-date with the lingo. Welcome to the circus, either way. Safety exits are... nowhere, so I suggest you cross your fingers and pray to whoever'll listen that nothing goes too badly wrong.

Action

[justrunsasaloon]

[It hit her in the gut, harder and faster than any punch had a right to. She'd been wandering the woods, looking for some herbs that she didn't have in stock, but had come up empty. Walking back to the bar, the familiar voice had floated on the breeze toward her.

She takes just a second, just a split second to catch her breath.

And then she's running. Running toward the voice, toward the one voice she'd hoped, almost prayed to both hear and not hear. But there she is. Standing tall and proud, her baby girl. Not dead. Not eaten by a hellhound, not bleeding out on the ground....]

JOANNA BETH!

[If her voice screeches a little, she doesn't notice. She's on her daughter in a moment, clutching her baby girl tight.]

Joanna Beth. You're okay. It's okay.

[Ellen leans back a little racking blonde hair away from Jo's precious face. Her eyes rake her daughter, double checking for injuries.]

( video )

[voliere]

[ Jo's injuries are enough for Elizabeth to quickly press and poke at her communicator until she's sure her own worried expression is on the video. ] Are you alright? Do you need help? I can find some supplies for you if you need them.

[video]

[blackmagus]

[Rough arrivals seem to be in style, around here. Fortescue responds with a black cat curled on top of her shoulders.]

I'm afraid the explanations are... sparse, love. We don't know much, either.

[She offers an apologetic smile.]

I can tell you that most of us are kidnapped. And from different worlds.

[tryingitall]

We do have a Dean. No Sam, unfortunately. Or perhaps fortunately, depending on how you look at it. [He's not sure who 'Mom' would be, although he has a guess.]

I'm beginning to dislike this place's tendency to bring people in wounded. It's discourteous. How badly are you hurt?

[bluesrat]

[Oh no, another one who's dropped here looking like they came through the wringer. Rat feels luckier each time, but also increasingly worried that they don't seem to have a good medical clinic on hand.]

You okay sweetheart? I'm not sure what medical supplies we've got here, but do you need help? [The face is middle-aged and worried, and 'sweetheart' was not meant to be in any way patronizing.]

[nedofpies]

There's no reason to want to laugh. It's not a joke, or a prank, or a bad dream. Have you gotten that explanation yet? Also, uh. Medical attention? [ Why do more and more people seem to be showing up with injuries? Ned doesn't much like that trend. ]

video

[venatical]

Jo? [ Oh, he's sitting up and paying attention now. His expression changes quickly, from a somewhat sickened surprise (she looks hurt, she'd been dead, she doesn't need to be locked up here) to concern to an evened out determination as he squares his jaw. ]

Where are you? I'll come to you.

[heavensmostadorable]

Oh-- Are you okay?

[He knows a thing or two about showing up here in rough shape, but it's not about to stop him from worrying about anyone else who does. Voice laced obviously with concern, Samandriel knows she's probably already been asked if she's alright numerous times, but...better safe than sorry, right?]

Do you mean Dean Winchester? He's here, if that's the case. Uhm. ...Is someone on their way to help you? Do you need anything?

[video]

[happytobleed]

[ Castiel is oddly relieved to see her. With Ellen showing up, at least they'll have each other. ]

Hello, Jo.

[ He has the faintest hint of a smile. ]

What's the last thing you remember?

video.

[intelligently]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only sensible voice.

[lightgunhustler]

You're telling me we're actually stuck here?

[She sounds skeptical, but she's more confused than she'd like to admit. This is nothing like what she'd expected.]

How do you know Sam and Dean? And what do you mean by 'set'?

[Who else was here, anyway?]

[lightgunhustler]

[Her gaze narrows sharply. Okay. Not about to let Meg see just how much that last bit is bothering her, true or not.]

You seem awfully cheerful about all this.

[foundacause]

[ Hey! Jo had her chance. ] I can think of worse ways to spend an evening.

So, I hear you and your mommy had an explosive time in Carthage...

[lightgunhustler]

Clever.

[She's not amused. Not even a little.]

How long have you been waiting to use that one?

[lightgunhustler]

[Even though she'd called out for her mother over the communicator, she hadn't expected to hear Ellen's voice cut through the air like that. She turns, looking over her shoulder to see Ellen coming towards her before the rest of her body follows, but otherwise, she finds herself unable to move, momentarily stunned and fixed to that spot -- not to mention her legs are a bit unsteady to begin with.

It's the embrace that pulls her out of that momentary daze, and she puts her arms around Ellen's middle and hugs her just as fiercely, swallowing hard. Her mother had opted to stay behind with her. Jo had known that neither one of them was going to make it out of that place alive. This? This was nothing short of some kind of miracle, if it was real.]

Mom, are you--

[She wants to ask if she's okay, but something else occurs to her first. Pursing her lips, she pulls free of the embrace just long enough to fumble for the flask of holy water at her hip, uncapping it and holding it out, offering it to her mother.]

Drink this.

[There was no such thing as too careful.]

[justrunsasaloon]

[Ellen doesn't hesitate, splashing her face with the holy water and then taking a healthy swig and handing the flask back to her daughter.]

It's me.

[She's proud her daughter checked though. Proud that she didn't trust even her mother in a place like this and tested her. Her hands cup Jo's face.]

I've got some supplies. We'll get you cleaned up.

[She looks down, but there's no gushing blood, which can only be a good thing right now.]

You alright? What's hurtin'?

[lightgunhustler]

[Jo purses her lips as she looks downwards, gingerly touching her fingers against her abdomen. She distinctly remembers that spot being raw and torn wide open, but the wounds there now are shallow -- bleeding, but not a dangerous amount.]

I think I'm alright, somehow.

[And here she'd thought 'alright' was no longer on the table.]

I'm okay. Sore. Don't think any of these injuries are gonna land me in trouble, at least.

[video]

[lightgunhustler]

Kidnapped?

[She raises both eyebrows, dubious. Not the conclusion she would have drawn -- and the part about different worlds throws her for a loop, too. She's heard a little something about alternate realities in the past, but never given it much thought. The only world she's ever had to be concerned about was her own.]

What the hell for?

[lightgunhustler]

Dean Winchester?

[She hopes so. He'll have answers. He usually does, even if he doesn't like to give out all the details in the interest of 'keeping people safe' sometimes.

She winces as she lays a hand over the wounded side of her abdomen. It's painful, but the injury isn't what it was. Not by a long shot.]

Not nearly as bad as I thought I was. I think -- I'm gonna be okay. Just a little unsteady. People show up hurt like this a lot?

[Maybe it really was the afterlife. People showing up wounded might make sense, then.

Hell of an afterlife, though, no pun intended. This place looked like a total dump.]