Fire In Your New Shoes, 1/6. NC-17.
Title: Fire In Your New Shoes
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17 for language, violence and sex.
Pairing: Ariadne/Arthur(/Eames)
Disclaimer: Inception characters belong to Christopher Nolan. Supernatural characters belong to Kripke. I own nothing but the actual plot to this, and even that is up to debate. :)
Spoilers/Warnings: Inception AU fusion with Supernatural. This is also an AU of Supernatural, diverging from canon in season five and begins in November 2009.
For the inception_kink meme prompt in round 11: Arthur Campbell was born and raised as a hunter, since hunting is the ‘family business’. He ran for his life for years, since all relatives of Mary Campbell were persecuted and killed, so he doesn't know much about Sam and Dean except they are family.
Author's Note: This is the third attempt at filling this prompt. I first snagged it in November 2010, IIRC, and had to scrap that first attempt at it. Then I had to scrap my second attempt in December 2010. I then left this alone for all of 2011. Sorry it took me so long OP! I had to brush up on canon and completely rework the plot AGAIN to make this work. Hopefully it works this time. :)
The scene with Famine contains dialogue lifted directly from the episode, as was part of the scene with Death.
Summary: Arthur Campbell never approved of his Winchester cousins using demonic help to take down other demons. When other hunters are killed while helping them stop Lucifer, he calls on supernatural aid of his own to help them.
Big Bang art located here!
One - Red On The Inside
"Fucking hell."
Ariadne looked over at Arthur as she was packing their things into the duffel bags, sorting out the dirty things to take to a Laundromat later. He was looking at his laptop, his usual pale face completely white. "What is it?"
"Ellen and Jo are dead."
Ariadne dropped the shirt she had been folding and came to sit beside him. "But..." She glanced at the e-mail message. "No," she said in shock, clutching his arm in shock. "Did one of those demons get to them?"
"My cousins are fucking idiots," Arthur said, his hand closing over Ariadne's. "The fuckers are so goddamn stupid, they're going to get everyone killed." He gestured vaguely at his laptop screen, agitated. "Sam's the one that used demon blood and thought working with a fucking demon was a good idea. Are they just dicking around while we're doing everything we can to stop the apocalypse?"
Ariadne ran her hands through Arthur's hair gently as she sighed, then leaned forward to press a kiss to the top of his head. "He doesn't know you're out there. He doesn't know you're family, Arthur." She pressed another kiss. "I think you should tell them. They need to know they're not the only ones working to keep the seals intact."
"It's a bad idea. The Winchesters are bad news," Arthur murmured, pulling her to stand between his spread legs. He wrapped his long arms around her waist and held her close, his head against her chest. "Bobby said that Ruby was manipulating Sam..." He closed his eyes, listening to her heart beat. "After this, they won't have too many allies left. All it seems to take is a demon claiming to want Lucifer dead and they'll fall for it."
"But you won't contact them to help." Ariadne let her hands fall to his shoulders, squeezing them slightly. "We need to call him. He needs to know you're still out there. For all we know, our help might stop him from being so colossally stupid..."
"No," Arthur said sharply. "Bad enough Sam started the apocalypse. Dean isn't doing shit to rein him in. I won't let them get you killed, Ariadne. I can't..."
"Arthur," began, pulling back and shaking her head. Her caramel colored eyes bored into Arthur's dark brown ones. "If we're going to defeat Lucifer and prevent the apocalypse, then you know the Winchesters will need all the help they can get."
Arthur scrubbed at his face tiredly and looked at Ariadne. "We're fighting demons and helping to prevent seals from getting broken. That's plenty of help right there." His expression was plaintive. "I've lost everyone else to this already. You're my wife... I can't lose you, too."
"You'll be able to protect us both," Ariadne told him, leaning forward to touch her forehead to his. "If you need to do more protections, we do know a supernatural creature that could help us. Maybe teach us more magic or just warp reality a bit so we won't die when we take on the next seal. You might have to call..."
"Hell, no. The last time..."
"He still saved our lives. He might not try to wind you up so much this time..."
"Fucking shapeshifting trickster. It's all they do."
"This is to prevent Lucifer from rising, Arthur. We'll need all the help we can get, right? There aren't many hunters left. And as much as what they're doing isn't safe and pisses you off, the Winchesters are still family." She paused. "Would it be easier if I called him?"
"No," Arthur said, blowing out a breath. "I'll call him myself."
***
Ariadne sat back as Arthur spread the salt in a protective circle and began inscribing the old runes into the ground just inside the salt circle. He had four wax candles for the four points of the compass, as well as small bowls containing representations of each element at the appropriate point. He sat in the center of the circle, dressed in only his jeans and boots. Without his shirt, he looked almost too thin and bony to Ariadne's eyes, but she knew his wiry frame belied his strength. The thick burn scar on his chest stood out in sharp relief against his pale skin. Arthur took in a deep breath, then began to chant softly in Apsaalooke. That was what the Crow people called themselves, and Arthur had learned a lot from them on their reservation in Montana. Unfortunately, it had also meant he came to the attention of various things he didn't always want to interact with. He had left the reservation when it wasn't safe anymore, and had cobbled together a series of protections that seemed to work for him.
Ariadne saw the candle flames waver slightly, and a chill came through the open field even though it was the height of summer. "You know, my dear," came a voice with an English accent beside her. "I really do resent being summoned like a common ghost."
She turned her head in surprise, making a small squeak. It broke Arthur's concentration, and his eyes snapped open. He saw Ariadne sitting on the ground, startled but not truly afraid. Sitting beside her was a man about his height but with a broader and more muscular build. He had dirty blond hair, sharp blue eyes and a sensual grin on his face. He turned to look at Arthur; despite the fact that this face was different from others he had seen before, he knew exactly who this was by the amused glint in his eyes.
Arthur shot to his feet and the candle flames went out immediately. He crossed over the lines of runes and salt to stride to Ariadne in five angry steps. "I was trying to watch my back for a change, Coyote," he snarled. "The last time..."
"Eames."
"Excuse me?" he asked, brows knit in confusion. He felt unsettled and out of the loop, which was fairly common around the trickster figure. He hated this about Coyote.
"In this particular incarnation, I'm going by the name Eames. Rather classy, don't you think?" He grinned up at Arthur unrepentantly. "I thought it would be a nice change, hm?" He threw an arm around Ariadne's shoulders just to make Arthur angry. "I'm so glad it worked out with you two kids. You're great together. Complimentary. My pièce de resistance for that particular incarnation, if you will."
"Eames," Ariadne said, trying out the name. It was in a warning tone, as she could see Arthur's clenched jaw tick in anger. "Please stop."
It was her quiet voice that did it, and Eames nodded. "All right, then, since you asked so nicely." He removed his arm and looked up at Arthur. With a wave of his hand, a brisk wind scattered the salt and dirt, blurring the edges of the circle. The wind also retrieved the candles and bowls. "You don't look particularly pleased to see me, Arthur. So this must be a very big deal indeed if you're trying to summon me." He handed over the materials and watched Arthur accept them with barely contained annoyance.
"I need your help," he said tightly, looking Eames in the eye. "No tricks, no changes, nothing like that. Just... I need help to save my family."
Eames' eyebrow raised and he looked at Ariadne contemplatively. "I didn't think you were in the family way yet, darling. Congratulations."
Arthur made a choked noise as Ariadne shook her head. They had talked about having children, of course. He wanted them so badly his heart ached, but it wasn't safe. He couldn't keep his cousins safe, he couldn't keep Ariadne safe. The burned mark on his chest only reminded him of how many lives he simply couldn't save, and he couldn't have children simply to watch them die because of demons. "Ellen and Jo Harvelle are dead. That leaves very few hunters on the ground that know about the seals and Lucifer."
"I'm sorry," Eames replied gently. "I wouldn't have teased if I knew. Really, I wouldn't have."
Looking away, Arthur put his shirt back on and sat down in front of Ariadne. "I know trying to close up seals won't lock Lucifer away, but it's got to help prevent more demons from coming up to help him. We have to stop him from starting the Apocalypse. He's going to go after Sam, and Dean isn't doing much to stop it, it looks like." Arthur looked at Eames with a hollow expression. "They can't be trusted, but they're still family. They still need our help."
"Not to belabor your pain, Arthur," Eames said in that same gentle voice Arthur wasn't used to, "but did you actually see the bodies?"
Arthur looked at him sharply, annoyance in his tone. "Bobby wouldn't lie to me about that."
"Hear me out before you dismiss it, yes? You know as well as I what's at stake. How do you know this isn't a ruse of some kind? Draw you out so that it'll be even easier to strike down the hunters that are left?"
Arthur hadn't considered that possibility, and he knew Ariadne certainly didn't think along those lines. It must have shown on his face, because Eames leaned forward and patted his leg in a fond gesture. "Well, that answers that. So the first thing to do would be to confirm the death. Anyone can be fooled." Eames' gaze sharpened as he took in Arthur's distress. "You of all people know that people are corruptible." He watched Arthur rub at the scar on his chest and look at Ariadne, pain clearly etched on his features. "Not her, Arthur. She's one of the few I would firmly mark in the incorruptible category."
They both turned to look at Eames in surprise, and he simply smiled. "What? She saw through me in an instant. How many can do that? Did you?" he asked pointedly.
"I knew what you were."
"Yes. Called me by name, even, which is shocking in these times. A white man calling me Coyote?" Eames laughed. "Took me for a turn, that did. But Ariadne..." He reached over and tugged on a lock of her hair playfully. "She will always be the one to lead you out of the maze, Arthur. Take better care of this gift than Theseus did, hm?"
Arthur bristled at that. "You f-"
"Stop it, both of you," Ariadne said in a firm tone, not raising her voice. "Baiting each other won't change things."
"No, I suppose not," Eames admitted. He flashed Arthur a charming grin that the other man scowled at. "Oh, don't be like that. You amuse me, Arthur. Why else would I come around when you call me like a common ghost? By rights, I should be furious with you."
"Stop," Ariadne repeated, and this time Eames did settle down. He merely grinned at her and Arthur, looking pleased with himself.
"I need to protect my family," Arthur told Eames quietly. "I need to keep them safe." He rubbed at the scar on his chest, not even realizing he was doing it. Ariadne reached out and clasped his hand tightly, pulling it away from his chest. He looked at her with a vulnerable expression, pain etched into his features. "I need to know they'll be all right."
Eames leaned over and slid his hand along Arthur's shoulders in a too-familiar gesture that sent his heart stuttering in his chest. Eames kissed Arthur's temple under Ariadne's watchful eye, his own expression serious. "Of course, Arthur," he said in a voice as gentle as a father's to a scared child. "All you had to do was ask."
***
"Here we are," Eames announced cheerfully. He had driven a massive SUV through the Great Plains region, and Ariadne was thoroughly lost. She was usually pretty good at directions, but she was fairly certain that Eames had done something to the route to change it. Or perhaps they hadn't driven along actual roads built by man; she could never really tell what Eames' intentions were half of the time. She did know that for all he liked to needle Arthur, he did genuinely care for his welfare. After a fashion, she supposed that Eames cared about her as well.
Arthur had never described in any kind of detail the fire that claimed the lives of his family and left him with the nasty scar on his chest. He was on the run from a demon that had been its root cause, but she didn't ask how. Arthur had stumbled across a vengeful ghost that had killed her family and managed to destroy it before it killed her. Nowhere else to go, she had tagged along and learned his family business.
She had thought that Eames' prior incarnations were ghosts following Arthur, but it had been something more complicated than that. Ariadne hadn't felt completely comfortable asking either man what was going on. His last incarnation had been female, and he had tried seducing Arthur after shifting into Ariadne's form. Arthur had known something was different, but hadn't been able to guess it was Eames. He had thought someone had cursed Ariadne or a ghost had possessed her. She had walked into their hotel room and saw what was going on; since then, Arthur hadn't trusted Eames at all. He had saved their lives though, when another hunter used them as bait to trap a vampire nest, and Ariadne had thought it was Eames' way of apologizing for having fun at Arthur's expense. She knew that if Eames hadn't been the one to save them, Arthur would probably try to kill him for some of the stunts he had pulled.
"Where are we?" Arthur asked, distrust heavy in his tone.
"There's a munitions supplier here named Dominic Cobb. He's got two kids, both cute as a button. I think you'd like him. Think of him as a role model, even," Eames suggested helpfully. Arthur glared at him before getting out of the SUV. "Was it something I said?" he asked Ariadne, the picture of innocence.
"Do you really have to tease him quite so much? Really?" Ariadne asked in a tired voice.
"He's a stick in the mud otherwise."
"He's driven," Ariadne corrected. "You would be, too, with what's happened to his family."
Something shifted in Eames' expression that made Ariadne wonder about him. "Well. It's neither here nor there. Nor anywhere at all," he said, his voice shifting back into his usual playful tones. He reached out and grasped Ariadne's wrist tightly as she was about to exit the SUV. "Family is always important, darling. Not all family is made of blood ties."
Before she could even ask what he was talking about, Eames left the car and bounded up the steps to the sprawling farmhouse that he had been looking for. He banged on the door several times, then waited. He was dressed in a gray suit over a mauve shirt that was open at the throat, his hair combed back and that smile ready on his face. A tall man answered the door and regarded him somewhat warily. "Yeah?" he asked.
"Cobb. We've spoken over the phone."
"No, I'm pretty sure you've got the wrong address..."
"Mal would let me in," Eames replied quietly as Cobb was closing the door. He froze in place and regarded Eames suspiciously. "I've changed my face, is all. That's the way of it."
"Mal's not here," Cobb told him, strain in his voice. "She's gone."
"That's her way, too," Eames said, voice still quiet. "May we come in? There's a problem, and we're in need of your expertise."
Reluctantly, Cobb let them into the house and locked the door behind him. "There's word among hunters that Lucifer's back," Cobb told Eames. "How much of that is your doing?"
"None," Eames said honestly. "I don't truck with those fellows. Even less fun to play with than mortals are."
Whatever Cobb would have said in reply was cut off by a high pitched squeal of delight. "Uncle Eames!" came a girlish shriek as a young blonde girl in a pink dress ran into the living room and firmly attached herself to Eames' leg. If anything, that made Cobb frown even more.
"Phillipa, poppet!" Eames proclaimed, stooping down to sweep her around in a circle before giving her a tight hug. "And where is young Master James?"
"Talking with the worms," she said solemnly. "They're telling secrets."
"Of course they are. So few are able to listen to them," Eames told her just as solemnly. "So tell me, poppet, how did you recognize this face and name?"
"I dreamed it, of course," she said brightly. She wrapped her arms around him tightly before squirming to be put down. "I'll show you my trick with the dolls after you're done in here."
Cobb glowered. "Phillipa, we talked about that," he said sternly. He was only too aware of the two strangers in his living room, their stances wary and the protective amulets and runes etched into their skin.
Eames hunkered down in front of Phillipa. "Poppet. You have to do as your father says. It's very important. Not many would understand the talents you possess."
"But you do. They do," she said, pointing at Arthur and Ariadne. "They wouldn't be afraid."
Letting out a soft sigh, Eames shook his head. "Yes, they would be, poppet. Especially that one," he said, pointing at Arthur, who glowered in response. "Go on. Talk to the worms and see if they tell you any different."
"But they never do," Phillipa whined.
Eames reached behind Phillipa's hair and plucked a coin from behind her ear. "There you are. See what they say about this."
"Faerie gold doesn't last long," she said with a dismissive sniff even as she snatched up the coin.
He gave her a smile as he stood. "Until sunset, poppet. Go see what mischief the worms will tell you about, and if they dream of being bigger."
Phillipa ran out into the backyard to join her brother. Cobb scowled at Eames. "You really shouldn't encourage her. Bad enough Mal..." His voice trailed off, pain lacing his tone. He cleared his throat. "Eames, is it now?"
"Until I change again," Eames agreed. He sat down on the couch and gestured for Arthur and Ariadne to do the same. "These are the Campbells. Friends of mine, after a fashion."
Cobb gave Eames an assessing look. "After a fashion."
"Under my protection," he said, voice firm and brooking no argument. Arthur looked at Eames, startled, and Ariadne let her hand fall to Arthur's knee. "As would be any of their bloodline, if they stopped being so bloody obstinate about not procreating," he added, looking at Arthur pointedly.
A smile broke out on Cobb's face. "Well, then. I suppose we're related," he said to Arthur and Ariadne. "I married his sister. She went by Mallorie while we were together."
"Were?" Ariadne asked when Cobb stopped speaking.
"She left. She said she was simply dreaming of humanity and needed to wake up to her true form." Cobb abruptly broke off. "I'm too sober for this."
"Focus," Eames told him, steel beneath his voice. "Mal is no more a creature to be controlled than anyone else in this room. The next generation is what I'm worried about. Lucifer is indeed walking the earth, and using demons to further his agenda. He's trying to convince his true vessel to let him in. Demons are crawling out of the Gates since more seals are getting broken."
"What are the Gates?" Ariadne asked, looking between the men in the room. None looked pleased with Eames' words.
"What do you want?" Cobb asked instead of answering.
"Ellen and Jo Harvelle are dead," Arthur said, looking at Cobb with an assessing gaze. "They were with the Winchesters, trying to stop Lucifer from doing something, I'm not sure exactly what."
"Oh. I've heard of them. They were in Nebraska when I first heard of them, going after a skinwalker." He smiled at Eames thinly. "I think they were more than a match for it."
"Not all skinwalkers are my kind, Cobb. You know that." Eames didn't appear perturbed at all.
"What are the Gates?" Ariadne repeated, voice a little louder.
"The Gates are the portal between the land of the dead and demons and our world." Cobb crossed the room and opened a cabinet to remove a bottle of whiskey. "I am entirely too sober for this conversation."
"Stay sober, Cobb. We need you to focus. I can't go near the Gates and they need to be shut if they're opening," Eames said.
"Why can't you?" Arthur asked sharply. In all his prior dealings with the trickster, Eames had never admitted to having limitations.
"Akbaatatdia forbade it," Eames replied, shrugging. "The One Who Has Made Everything," he translated for Ariadne's benefit. "He doesn't like my crossing boundaries like that anymore. I can cross whatever boundaries I like on this plane, but not between realms."
"Then how do you shut them?" Arthur asked, voice hard. "This needs to be done."
Cobb's laughter was harsh. "Blood of a willing sacrifice. The righteous incorruptible man must spill his heartsblood across the gate as he recites the incantation to shut the Gates. They'll remain closed for at least five millennia, and then it starts all over again."
Arthur's grip on Ariadne's hand was painfully tight. She refused to give any weight to the remark, even if Eames had called her incorruptible. She wouldn't be a willing sacrifice, so using her went right out the window. She understood Arthur's fear. He was constantly afraid that his protections weren't good enough, that he wouldn't react fast enough. "There has to be another way."
"Sure. Let it open all the way. It'll eventually swing back shut."
Eames' lip curled in derision as he watched Cobb pour himself a hefty drink. "So glad you can give me a drink, Cobb," he said, standing and taking the glass. "Your children are outside."
There was something almost vicious in Cobb's gaze at Eames. "You never bring good tidings, you know. You're never here without some kind of bad news coming my way. The one good thing in my life just went away because of you," he snarled, poking Eames in the chest. "Tell me why I shouldn't try to kill you right now."
"Phillipa would see it in a dream," Eames told him quietly. "And maybe Mal will come back to you. Even I haven't seen her. She goes where she wishes."
Both Arthur and Ariadne felt uncomfortable and awkward. She could see Arthur shift uncomfortably in his seat, and wondered if he was trying to unsheathe his knife without either man noticing. She had her Springfield Armory subcompact pistol in her coat pocket, and she could easily get it out of her pocket holster fairly quickly if she had to. No one ever really looked at women as dangerous, especially petite ones, after all. All hunters pretty much assumed that petite women with pixie features were victims, so arguments tended to occur around her without anyone noticing her taking it all in.
"If you won't help us, do you know anyone that will?" Arthur asked abruptly, interrupting their argument. "We need all the help we can get to stop Lucifer."
Cobb looked over at Arthur. "I don't follow what other hunters do. I've been out of the loop for a while now. I know John Winchester's gone off the grid. Talk is that he simply dropped dead of a heart attack." He turned and looked down the hallway that eventually led to the kitchen and back door. "It's almost time for me to make dinner for the kids. You can stay overnight if you want. Past that, I can't help you, no matter what name you go by."
"We'll need supplies."
He looked at Eames with a blank gaze. "I've been out of the loop. That means completely, Eames. I've given all my equipment away." At Eames' pointed look, Cobb sighed. "Yusuf's got all my old gear. He's in the middle of everything. He should know more."
"I know Yusuf," Arthur said, sounding surprised.
"Most people do," Cobb replied, not looking at Arthur. "He's more of a people person."
Eames waited until Cobb was in the kitchen to start dinner. "We can probably visit Yusuf quickly tonight. After dinner."
"We spent all day in the car," Arthur protested.
"Yusuf has a workshop an hour away from here." Eames looked thoughtful. "Perhaps he's even supplied the Winchester brothers before."
"What was that about protecting me?" Arthur asked, standing up. His hands looked loose at his sides, but Ariadne knew that the knife inside his sleeve wasn't that difficult to get out if he really needed it, let alone the Glock 17 tucked under his arm. "Was that bullshit or was that true?"
"This isn't the time or place for it," Eames replied, shaking his head sharply.
"No, this is absolutely the time and place for it," Arthur argued, jaw thrust out stubbornly. "You said it. What does it mean?"
Ariadne stood and placed a hand along Arthur's back in silent support. She pleaded silently with Eames to tell it straight, rather than slip back into his halfway joking tendencies. Arthur's nerves were much too frayed for that. "Just tell us," she said softly.
Eames blew out a breath. "What you know of as reality is sometimes called the First World by paranormal scholars. The underground, the things in the dark, the things like me, that reality is called the Second World. I put the word out among Second Worlders that you and Ariadne, as well as whatever progeny you might have, are not to be touched. That you're mine. It's generally honored when a greater being makes a statement like that."
"When did you say that?" Arthur asked, tension in his form.
"The last time we met," Eames admitted with a shrug. "It won't keep the humans from hurting either of you, but Second Worlders don't fuck with the higher ups as a general rule."
"What do demons count as?" Ariadne asked.
"None of the above, unfortunately," Eames replied. He suddenly looked tired and weary. "I don't fuck with you all the time, Arthur. All right? I actually like you. I want you to hang around a while."
He didn't know how to respond to that, but he stopped looking ready to flick the knife out from its hidden location in the jacket of his arm. "And him? He was married to your sister?"
"She went by Mallorie here." Eames scrubbed at his jaw tiredly. "You think I'm bad? She was worse. Or better, depending on your point of view. She was lovely," he said finally, looking up. "It was impossible not to love her if you knew her. But no one can hold her interest for long, let alone someone mortal. He couldn't make her stay. No one could."
"And you? Does that mean someday you'll leave us, too?"
Eames was in front of them in an instant, something dark and smoldering in his eyes. "I know better," he said before spinning around and leaving the room for the backyard.
***
***
To Chapter Two - We Raise A Fever
Author: Eustacia Vye
Author's e-mail: eustacia_vye28@hotmail.com
Rating: NC-17 for language, violence and sex.
Pairing: Ariadne/Arthur(/Eames)
Disclaimer: Inception characters belong to Christopher Nolan. Supernatural characters belong to Kripke. I own nothing but the actual plot to this, and even that is up to debate. :)
Spoilers/Warnings: Inception AU fusion with Supernatural. This is also an AU of Supernatural, diverging from canon in season five and begins in November 2009.
For the inception_kink meme prompt in round 11: Arthur Campbell was born and raised as a hunter, since hunting is the ‘family business’. He ran for his life for years, since all relatives of Mary Campbell were persecuted and killed, so he doesn't know much about Sam and Dean except they are family.
Author's Note: This is the third attempt at filling this prompt. I first snagged it in November 2010, IIRC, and had to scrap that first attempt at it. Then I had to scrap my second attempt in December 2010. I then left this alone for all of 2011. Sorry it took me so long OP! I had to brush up on canon and completely rework the plot AGAIN to make this work. Hopefully it works this time. :)
The scene with Famine contains dialogue lifted directly from the episode, as was part of the scene with Death.
Summary: Arthur Campbell never approved of his Winchester cousins using demonic help to take down other demons. When other hunters are killed while helping them stop Lucifer, he calls on supernatural aid of his own to help them.
Big Bang art located here!
One - Red On The Inside
"Fucking hell."
Ariadne looked over at Arthur as she was packing their things into the duffel bags, sorting out the dirty things to take to a Laundromat later. He was looking at his laptop, his usual pale face completely white. "What is it?"
"Ellen and Jo are dead."
Ariadne dropped the shirt she had been folding and came to sit beside him. "But..." She glanced at the e-mail message. "No," she said in shock, clutching his arm in shock. "Did one of those demons get to them?"
"My cousins are fucking idiots," Arthur said, his hand closing over Ariadne's. "The fuckers are so goddamn stupid, they're going to get everyone killed." He gestured vaguely at his laptop screen, agitated. "Sam's the one that used demon blood and thought working with a fucking demon was a good idea. Are they just dicking around while we're doing everything we can to stop the apocalypse?"
Ariadne ran her hands through Arthur's hair gently as she sighed, then leaned forward to press a kiss to the top of his head. "He doesn't know you're out there. He doesn't know you're family, Arthur." She pressed another kiss. "I think you should tell them. They need to know they're not the only ones working to keep the seals intact."
"It's a bad idea. The Winchesters are bad news," Arthur murmured, pulling her to stand between his spread legs. He wrapped his long arms around her waist and held her close, his head against her chest. "Bobby said that Ruby was manipulating Sam..." He closed his eyes, listening to her heart beat. "After this, they won't have too many allies left. All it seems to take is a demon claiming to want Lucifer dead and they'll fall for it."
"But you won't contact them to help." Ariadne let her hands fall to his shoulders, squeezing them slightly. "We need to call him. He needs to know you're still out there. For all we know, our help might stop him from being so colossally stupid..."
"No," Arthur said sharply. "Bad enough Sam started the apocalypse. Dean isn't doing shit to rein him in. I won't let them get you killed, Ariadne. I can't..."
"Arthur," began, pulling back and shaking her head. Her caramel colored eyes bored into Arthur's dark brown ones. "If we're going to defeat Lucifer and prevent the apocalypse, then you know the Winchesters will need all the help they can get."
Arthur scrubbed at his face tiredly and looked at Ariadne. "We're fighting demons and helping to prevent seals from getting broken. That's plenty of help right there." His expression was plaintive. "I've lost everyone else to this already. You're my wife... I can't lose you, too."
"You'll be able to protect us both," Ariadne told him, leaning forward to touch her forehead to his. "If you need to do more protections, we do know a supernatural creature that could help us. Maybe teach us more magic or just warp reality a bit so we won't die when we take on the next seal. You might have to call..."
"Hell, no. The last time..."
"He still saved our lives. He might not try to wind you up so much this time..."
"Fucking shapeshifting trickster. It's all they do."
"This is to prevent Lucifer from rising, Arthur. We'll need all the help we can get, right? There aren't many hunters left. And as much as what they're doing isn't safe and pisses you off, the Winchesters are still family." She paused. "Would it be easier if I called him?"
"No," Arthur said, blowing out a breath. "I'll call him myself."
***
Ariadne sat back as Arthur spread the salt in a protective circle and began inscribing the old runes into the ground just inside the salt circle. He had four wax candles for the four points of the compass, as well as small bowls containing representations of each element at the appropriate point. He sat in the center of the circle, dressed in only his jeans and boots. Without his shirt, he looked almost too thin and bony to Ariadne's eyes, but she knew his wiry frame belied his strength. The thick burn scar on his chest stood out in sharp relief against his pale skin. Arthur took in a deep breath, then began to chant softly in Apsaalooke. That was what the Crow people called themselves, and Arthur had learned a lot from them on their reservation in Montana. Unfortunately, it had also meant he came to the attention of various things he didn't always want to interact with. He had left the reservation when it wasn't safe anymore, and had cobbled together a series of protections that seemed to work for him.
Ariadne saw the candle flames waver slightly, and a chill came through the open field even though it was the height of summer. "You know, my dear," came a voice with an English accent beside her. "I really do resent being summoned like a common ghost."
She turned her head in surprise, making a small squeak. It broke Arthur's concentration, and his eyes snapped open. He saw Ariadne sitting on the ground, startled but not truly afraid. Sitting beside her was a man about his height but with a broader and more muscular build. He had dirty blond hair, sharp blue eyes and a sensual grin on his face. He turned to look at Arthur; despite the fact that this face was different from others he had seen before, he knew exactly who this was by the amused glint in his eyes.
Arthur shot to his feet and the candle flames went out immediately. He crossed over the lines of runes and salt to stride to Ariadne in five angry steps. "I was trying to watch my back for a change, Coyote," he snarled. "The last time..."
"Eames."
"Excuse me?" he asked, brows knit in confusion. He felt unsettled and out of the loop, which was fairly common around the trickster figure. He hated this about Coyote.
"In this particular incarnation, I'm going by the name Eames. Rather classy, don't you think?" He grinned up at Arthur unrepentantly. "I thought it would be a nice change, hm?" He threw an arm around Ariadne's shoulders just to make Arthur angry. "I'm so glad it worked out with you two kids. You're great together. Complimentary. My pièce de resistance for that particular incarnation, if you will."
"Eames," Ariadne said, trying out the name. It was in a warning tone, as she could see Arthur's clenched jaw tick in anger. "Please stop."
It was her quiet voice that did it, and Eames nodded. "All right, then, since you asked so nicely." He removed his arm and looked up at Arthur. With a wave of his hand, a brisk wind scattered the salt and dirt, blurring the edges of the circle. The wind also retrieved the candles and bowls. "You don't look particularly pleased to see me, Arthur. So this must be a very big deal indeed if you're trying to summon me." He handed over the materials and watched Arthur accept them with barely contained annoyance.
"I need your help," he said tightly, looking Eames in the eye. "No tricks, no changes, nothing like that. Just... I need help to save my family."
Eames' eyebrow raised and he looked at Ariadne contemplatively. "I didn't think you were in the family way yet, darling. Congratulations."
Arthur made a choked noise as Ariadne shook her head. They had talked about having children, of course. He wanted them so badly his heart ached, but it wasn't safe. He couldn't keep his cousins safe, he couldn't keep Ariadne safe. The burned mark on his chest only reminded him of how many lives he simply couldn't save, and he couldn't have children simply to watch them die because of demons. "Ellen and Jo Harvelle are dead. That leaves very few hunters on the ground that know about the seals and Lucifer."
"I'm sorry," Eames replied gently. "I wouldn't have teased if I knew. Really, I wouldn't have."
Looking away, Arthur put his shirt back on and sat down in front of Ariadne. "I know trying to close up seals won't lock Lucifer away, but it's got to help prevent more demons from coming up to help him. We have to stop him from starting the Apocalypse. He's going to go after Sam, and Dean isn't doing much to stop it, it looks like." Arthur looked at Eames with a hollow expression. "They can't be trusted, but they're still family. They still need our help."
"Not to belabor your pain, Arthur," Eames said in that same gentle voice Arthur wasn't used to, "but did you actually see the bodies?"
Arthur looked at him sharply, annoyance in his tone. "Bobby wouldn't lie to me about that."
"Hear me out before you dismiss it, yes? You know as well as I what's at stake. How do you know this isn't a ruse of some kind? Draw you out so that it'll be even easier to strike down the hunters that are left?"
Arthur hadn't considered that possibility, and he knew Ariadne certainly didn't think along those lines. It must have shown on his face, because Eames leaned forward and patted his leg in a fond gesture. "Well, that answers that. So the first thing to do would be to confirm the death. Anyone can be fooled." Eames' gaze sharpened as he took in Arthur's distress. "You of all people know that people are corruptible." He watched Arthur rub at the scar on his chest and look at Ariadne, pain clearly etched on his features. "Not her, Arthur. She's one of the few I would firmly mark in the incorruptible category."
They both turned to look at Eames in surprise, and he simply smiled. "What? She saw through me in an instant. How many can do that? Did you?" he asked pointedly.
"I knew what you were."
"Yes. Called me by name, even, which is shocking in these times. A white man calling me Coyote?" Eames laughed. "Took me for a turn, that did. But Ariadne..." He reached over and tugged on a lock of her hair playfully. "She will always be the one to lead you out of the maze, Arthur. Take better care of this gift than Theseus did, hm?"
Arthur bristled at that. "You f-"
"Stop it, both of you," Ariadne said in a firm tone, not raising her voice. "Baiting each other won't change things."
"No, I suppose not," Eames admitted. He flashed Arthur a charming grin that the other man scowled at. "Oh, don't be like that. You amuse me, Arthur. Why else would I come around when you call me like a common ghost? By rights, I should be furious with you."
"Stop," Ariadne repeated, and this time Eames did settle down. He merely grinned at her and Arthur, looking pleased with himself.
"I need to protect my family," Arthur told Eames quietly. "I need to keep them safe." He rubbed at the scar on his chest, not even realizing he was doing it. Ariadne reached out and clasped his hand tightly, pulling it away from his chest. He looked at her with a vulnerable expression, pain etched into his features. "I need to know they'll be all right."
Eames leaned over and slid his hand along Arthur's shoulders in a too-familiar gesture that sent his heart stuttering in his chest. Eames kissed Arthur's temple under Ariadne's watchful eye, his own expression serious. "Of course, Arthur," he said in a voice as gentle as a father's to a scared child. "All you had to do was ask."
***
"Here we are," Eames announced cheerfully. He had driven a massive SUV through the Great Plains region, and Ariadne was thoroughly lost. She was usually pretty good at directions, but she was fairly certain that Eames had done something to the route to change it. Or perhaps they hadn't driven along actual roads built by man; she could never really tell what Eames' intentions were half of the time. She did know that for all he liked to needle Arthur, he did genuinely care for his welfare. After a fashion, she supposed that Eames cared about her as well.
Arthur had never described in any kind of detail the fire that claimed the lives of his family and left him with the nasty scar on his chest. He was on the run from a demon that had been its root cause, but she didn't ask how. Arthur had stumbled across a vengeful ghost that had killed her family and managed to destroy it before it killed her. Nowhere else to go, she had tagged along and learned his family business.
She had thought that Eames' prior incarnations were ghosts following Arthur, but it had been something more complicated than that. Ariadne hadn't felt completely comfortable asking either man what was going on. His last incarnation had been female, and he had tried seducing Arthur after shifting into Ariadne's form. Arthur had known something was different, but hadn't been able to guess it was Eames. He had thought someone had cursed Ariadne or a ghost had possessed her. She had walked into their hotel room and saw what was going on; since then, Arthur hadn't trusted Eames at all. He had saved their lives though, when another hunter used them as bait to trap a vampire nest, and Ariadne had thought it was Eames' way of apologizing for having fun at Arthur's expense. She knew that if Eames hadn't been the one to save them, Arthur would probably try to kill him for some of the stunts he had pulled.
"Where are we?" Arthur asked, distrust heavy in his tone.
"There's a munitions supplier here named Dominic Cobb. He's got two kids, both cute as a button. I think you'd like him. Think of him as a role model, even," Eames suggested helpfully. Arthur glared at him before getting out of the SUV. "Was it something I said?" he asked Ariadne, the picture of innocence.
"Do you really have to tease him quite so much? Really?" Ariadne asked in a tired voice.
"He's a stick in the mud otherwise."
"He's driven," Ariadne corrected. "You would be, too, with what's happened to his family."
Something shifted in Eames' expression that made Ariadne wonder about him. "Well. It's neither here nor there. Nor anywhere at all," he said, his voice shifting back into his usual playful tones. He reached out and grasped Ariadne's wrist tightly as she was about to exit the SUV. "Family is always important, darling. Not all family is made of blood ties."
Before she could even ask what he was talking about, Eames left the car and bounded up the steps to the sprawling farmhouse that he had been looking for. He banged on the door several times, then waited. He was dressed in a gray suit over a mauve shirt that was open at the throat, his hair combed back and that smile ready on his face. A tall man answered the door and regarded him somewhat warily. "Yeah?" he asked.
"Cobb. We've spoken over the phone."
"No, I'm pretty sure you've got the wrong address..."
"Mal would let me in," Eames replied quietly as Cobb was closing the door. He froze in place and regarded Eames suspiciously. "I've changed my face, is all. That's the way of it."
"Mal's not here," Cobb told him, strain in his voice. "She's gone."
"That's her way, too," Eames said, voice still quiet. "May we come in? There's a problem, and we're in need of your expertise."
Reluctantly, Cobb let them into the house and locked the door behind him. "There's word among hunters that Lucifer's back," Cobb told Eames. "How much of that is your doing?"
"None," Eames said honestly. "I don't truck with those fellows. Even less fun to play with than mortals are."
Whatever Cobb would have said in reply was cut off by a high pitched squeal of delight. "Uncle Eames!" came a girlish shriek as a young blonde girl in a pink dress ran into the living room and firmly attached herself to Eames' leg. If anything, that made Cobb frown even more.
"Phillipa, poppet!" Eames proclaimed, stooping down to sweep her around in a circle before giving her a tight hug. "And where is young Master James?"
"Talking with the worms," she said solemnly. "They're telling secrets."
"Of course they are. So few are able to listen to them," Eames told her just as solemnly. "So tell me, poppet, how did you recognize this face and name?"
"I dreamed it, of course," she said brightly. She wrapped her arms around him tightly before squirming to be put down. "I'll show you my trick with the dolls after you're done in here."
Cobb glowered. "Phillipa, we talked about that," he said sternly. He was only too aware of the two strangers in his living room, their stances wary and the protective amulets and runes etched into their skin.
Eames hunkered down in front of Phillipa. "Poppet. You have to do as your father says. It's very important. Not many would understand the talents you possess."
"But you do. They do," she said, pointing at Arthur and Ariadne. "They wouldn't be afraid."
Letting out a soft sigh, Eames shook his head. "Yes, they would be, poppet. Especially that one," he said, pointing at Arthur, who glowered in response. "Go on. Talk to the worms and see if they tell you any different."
"But they never do," Phillipa whined.
Eames reached behind Phillipa's hair and plucked a coin from behind her ear. "There you are. See what they say about this."
"Faerie gold doesn't last long," she said with a dismissive sniff even as she snatched up the coin.
He gave her a smile as he stood. "Until sunset, poppet. Go see what mischief the worms will tell you about, and if they dream of being bigger."
Phillipa ran out into the backyard to join her brother. Cobb scowled at Eames. "You really shouldn't encourage her. Bad enough Mal..." His voice trailed off, pain lacing his tone. He cleared his throat. "Eames, is it now?"
"Until I change again," Eames agreed. He sat down on the couch and gestured for Arthur and Ariadne to do the same. "These are the Campbells. Friends of mine, after a fashion."
Cobb gave Eames an assessing look. "After a fashion."
"Under my protection," he said, voice firm and brooking no argument. Arthur looked at Eames, startled, and Ariadne let her hand fall to Arthur's knee. "As would be any of their bloodline, if they stopped being so bloody obstinate about not procreating," he added, looking at Arthur pointedly.
A smile broke out on Cobb's face. "Well, then. I suppose we're related," he said to Arthur and Ariadne. "I married his sister. She went by Mallorie while we were together."
"Were?" Ariadne asked when Cobb stopped speaking.
"She left. She said she was simply dreaming of humanity and needed to wake up to her true form." Cobb abruptly broke off. "I'm too sober for this."
"Focus," Eames told him, steel beneath his voice. "Mal is no more a creature to be controlled than anyone else in this room. The next generation is what I'm worried about. Lucifer is indeed walking the earth, and using demons to further his agenda. He's trying to convince his true vessel to let him in. Demons are crawling out of the Gates since more seals are getting broken."
"What are the Gates?" Ariadne asked, looking between the men in the room. None looked pleased with Eames' words.
"What do you want?" Cobb asked instead of answering.
"Ellen and Jo Harvelle are dead," Arthur said, looking at Cobb with an assessing gaze. "They were with the Winchesters, trying to stop Lucifer from doing something, I'm not sure exactly what."
"Oh. I've heard of them. They were in Nebraska when I first heard of them, going after a skinwalker." He smiled at Eames thinly. "I think they were more than a match for it."
"Not all skinwalkers are my kind, Cobb. You know that." Eames didn't appear perturbed at all.
"What are the Gates?" Ariadne repeated, voice a little louder.
"The Gates are the portal between the land of the dead and demons and our world." Cobb crossed the room and opened a cabinet to remove a bottle of whiskey. "I am entirely too sober for this conversation."
"Stay sober, Cobb. We need you to focus. I can't go near the Gates and they need to be shut if they're opening," Eames said.
"Why can't you?" Arthur asked sharply. In all his prior dealings with the trickster, Eames had never admitted to having limitations.
"Akbaatatdia forbade it," Eames replied, shrugging. "The One Who Has Made Everything," he translated for Ariadne's benefit. "He doesn't like my crossing boundaries like that anymore. I can cross whatever boundaries I like on this plane, but not between realms."
"Then how do you shut them?" Arthur asked, voice hard. "This needs to be done."
Cobb's laughter was harsh. "Blood of a willing sacrifice. The righteous incorruptible man must spill his heartsblood across the gate as he recites the incantation to shut the Gates. They'll remain closed for at least five millennia, and then it starts all over again."
Arthur's grip on Ariadne's hand was painfully tight. She refused to give any weight to the remark, even if Eames had called her incorruptible. She wouldn't be a willing sacrifice, so using her went right out the window. She understood Arthur's fear. He was constantly afraid that his protections weren't good enough, that he wouldn't react fast enough. "There has to be another way."
"Sure. Let it open all the way. It'll eventually swing back shut."
Eames' lip curled in derision as he watched Cobb pour himself a hefty drink. "So glad you can give me a drink, Cobb," he said, standing and taking the glass. "Your children are outside."
There was something almost vicious in Cobb's gaze at Eames. "You never bring good tidings, you know. You're never here without some kind of bad news coming my way. The one good thing in my life just went away because of you," he snarled, poking Eames in the chest. "Tell me why I shouldn't try to kill you right now."
"Phillipa would see it in a dream," Eames told him quietly. "And maybe Mal will come back to you. Even I haven't seen her. She goes where she wishes."
Both Arthur and Ariadne felt uncomfortable and awkward. She could see Arthur shift uncomfortably in his seat, and wondered if he was trying to unsheathe his knife without either man noticing. She had her Springfield Armory subcompact pistol in her coat pocket, and she could easily get it out of her pocket holster fairly quickly if she had to. No one ever really looked at women as dangerous, especially petite ones, after all. All hunters pretty much assumed that petite women with pixie features were victims, so arguments tended to occur around her without anyone noticing her taking it all in.
"If you won't help us, do you know anyone that will?" Arthur asked abruptly, interrupting their argument. "We need all the help we can get to stop Lucifer."
Cobb looked over at Arthur. "I don't follow what other hunters do. I've been out of the loop for a while now. I know John Winchester's gone off the grid. Talk is that he simply dropped dead of a heart attack." He turned and looked down the hallway that eventually led to the kitchen and back door. "It's almost time for me to make dinner for the kids. You can stay overnight if you want. Past that, I can't help you, no matter what name you go by."
"We'll need supplies."
He looked at Eames with a blank gaze. "I've been out of the loop. That means completely, Eames. I've given all my equipment away." At Eames' pointed look, Cobb sighed. "Yusuf's got all my old gear. He's in the middle of everything. He should know more."
"I know Yusuf," Arthur said, sounding surprised.
"Most people do," Cobb replied, not looking at Arthur. "He's more of a people person."
Eames waited until Cobb was in the kitchen to start dinner. "We can probably visit Yusuf quickly tonight. After dinner."
"We spent all day in the car," Arthur protested.
"Yusuf has a workshop an hour away from here." Eames looked thoughtful. "Perhaps he's even supplied the Winchester brothers before."
"What was that about protecting me?" Arthur asked, standing up. His hands looked loose at his sides, but Ariadne knew that the knife inside his sleeve wasn't that difficult to get out if he really needed it, let alone the Glock 17 tucked under his arm. "Was that bullshit or was that true?"
"This isn't the time or place for it," Eames replied, shaking his head sharply.
"No, this is absolutely the time and place for it," Arthur argued, jaw thrust out stubbornly. "You said it. What does it mean?"
Ariadne stood and placed a hand along Arthur's back in silent support. She pleaded silently with Eames to tell it straight, rather than slip back into his halfway joking tendencies. Arthur's nerves were much too frayed for that. "Just tell us," she said softly.
Eames blew out a breath. "What you know of as reality is sometimes called the First World by paranormal scholars. The underground, the things in the dark, the things like me, that reality is called the Second World. I put the word out among Second Worlders that you and Ariadne, as well as whatever progeny you might have, are not to be touched. That you're mine. It's generally honored when a greater being makes a statement like that."
"When did you say that?" Arthur asked, tension in his form.
"The last time we met," Eames admitted with a shrug. "It won't keep the humans from hurting either of you, but Second Worlders don't fuck with the higher ups as a general rule."
"What do demons count as?" Ariadne asked.
"None of the above, unfortunately," Eames replied. He suddenly looked tired and weary. "I don't fuck with you all the time, Arthur. All right? I actually like you. I want you to hang around a while."
He didn't know how to respond to that, but he stopped looking ready to flick the knife out from its hidden location in the jacket of his arm. "And him? He was married to your sister?"
"She went by Mallorie here." Eames scrubbed at his jaw tiredly. "You think I'm bad? She was worse. Or better, depending on your point of view. She was lovely," he said finally, looking up. "It was impossible not to love her if you knew her. But no one can hold her interest for long, let alone someone mortal. He couldn't make her stay. No one could."
"And you? Does that mean someday you'll leave us, too?"
Eames was in front of them in an instant, something dark and smoldering in his eyes. "I know better," he said before spinning around and leaving the room for the backyard.
***
***
To Chapter Two - We Raise A Fever