I-70

[iron_and_salt]

I feel bad that we didn't even get a note or anything to Bobby before we beat it.  I hope what I gave Dawn was useful-- all that scrawling nonsense about the leprechauns and shit.  I'm lucky I even grabbed my laptop we left so fast.

We're going to see Missouri.  Dean seems to think she'll know what the fuck's going on, although all I can ascertain

Comments

[1eyedzeppo]

Xander looked up from staring at his cell phone's screen and glanced in Sam's direction. He'd been constantly checking his cell for messesges ever since buying it after the fifteenth angry "I can't get ahold of you please get a cell and join the 21st century" Willow messege on his answering machine.

He figured any possible Willow contact could wait a few minutes.

"Are we going to play 100 Questions or something? Because I can tell you right now you won't win. There hasn't been a person yet who can out-question the Xan-man."

[iron_and_salt]

Sam laughed, surprising himself. "No, no inquiry." He glanced over at Xander. "Unless that's the way you want to do it. Question for question." He leaned back. "Show of faith: you start."

[1eyedzeppo]

Xander nodded and thought for a moment. "Okay. So how long have you and Dean had a relationship with those of the demony persuasion?"

[iron_and_salt]

Sam frowned, and then realized Xander probably wasn't referring to a relationship like the "relationship" he had with Ruby. "How long have we been hunting them? Technically, twenty six years, but on our own about four." He checked his mirrors and changed lanes to pass a Buick going the speed limit. "How about you? How long have you been at this?"

[1eyedzeppo]

He did a double take and stared at Sam with wide eyes. "T-twenty six years? Dude just how old are you? Where you battling demons while you were in diapers or something?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Me? Uh..about eight years. Freshman year, my best friend Willow befriended a Slayer. That and we lived in Sunnydale, which is pretty much monster central."

[iron_and_salt]

"Well, okay," Sam conceded, "Twenty six years might be an oversight, but it's not an exaggeration. Let's say Dean and I have been doing this together for four years. But we've been living the life since I was, yeah, in diapers. Shit."

He checked the mirror again, looking at Dean's sleeping-- peaceful-- face. "Monster central how?"

[1eyedzeppo]

Xander blinked. "You've been doing this your whole life and you've never heard of Sunnydale? I would have thought it'd be listed on the top hot spots for all demons/Slayers/Hunters. But always, demon central as in it sits on a Hellmouth which pretty much draws demons of all kinds to wreak havoc in said place."

He glances at the window out the window and watches the passing scenery. "So, is this your first Apocalypse?"

[iron_and_salt]

"Oh, so, like a demon magnet. Hmm. That sucks." Sam looked at Xander quizzically. "Yeah, it's our first. Is it not your first? Has there been more than one, and we missed it?"

[1eyedzeppo]

Xander glanced back at Sam and grinned. "After the first few I sort of lost count. Though Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies, me included, put an end to all of those with minor damage so no one ever noticed."

He paused for a moment. "Though I think the Broodster put an end to a few in L.A."

[iron_and_salt]

"Wow." He wasn't sure what or who the Broodster was, but he didn't want to ask. Clearly, it was a nickname of some sort. "So is taking care of this one going to be old hat for you guys, or is it different since we're involved?"

[1eyedzeppo]

"Hmm...well the angels thing is a first. Usually, we were just fighting powerful, power-crazy demons looking to end/take over the world." He shrugged as if it was nothing. "You know how it is. So...how did you two get into this mess?"

[iron_and_salt]

Sam sucked in air through his teeth, and looked at Dean again. The last thing he wanted was for Dean to wake up again when he was outlining this part of their lives. But here he was, and Xander and he were playing this stupid game, and he figured he owed it to the guy to be honest, especially since a) they were partners in whatever, now, and b) he wasn't sure how much 'this mess' actually encompassed.

"Do you mean, this angels versus demons, or this whole hunting gig?"

[1eyedzeppo]

"I mean the "We have a angel trying to kill us and an Apocalypse to stop" thing. I thought only my gang fell into these kinds of situations."

He noticed Sam's constant glances back at Dean and raised an eyebrow. "You expecting him to disappear suddenly or something?"

[iron_and_salt]

Sam blushed. "Sorry. He's... had a rough time. Hasn't been sleeping. I can't help it. It's just weird to see him peaceful. But, um." He cleared his throat. "Yeah, the angel thing's been going on for a little less than a year. Dean went to Hell, literally, and that's when it started. The angel stuff. Before that it was just demons trying to get their hooks into us. There's not a lot of vacation time; you probably know that."

He tried not to look at Dean again, like some kind of crazy mother hen. "Who's your gang?"

[1eyedzeppo]

Xander nodded in understanding. He'd had his share of nightmares, but who hadn't in this line of work? He absentmindedly rubbed his eye patch. "Hell huh? Can't imagine that's like going to Disney World or something. Never been to hell, but I do have a friend who died and thought she went to Heaven." He tried to grin but he realized it wasn't all that funny. Buffy had been really messed up that time.

"My gang? Oh right...the Scoobies. Well there's Buffy, our Slayer, and Dawn's her sister by the way. Then Willow, our resident witch and my best friend. Giles, B's Watcher, and..." He trailed off thinking about Tara and Anya and the great loss they all felt due to their absence. "Well, we had a pet vamp called Spike for awhile. But he...never mind, long story."

"How'd Dean get out of Hell?"

[iron_and_salt]

"Angels," Sam said simply. "Angels yanked him out. Castiel, really, under orders from on high. He's supposed to be the one who fixes all this, but... I can't really see him going at it alone." He paused. "Wait, a pet vamp? And Dawn... she's not a slayer, but she's a slayer's sister." There's an asskicking in that department with my name on it, he thought ruefully.