August 12-Midnight Hour
Title: Midnight Hour
Author: Skylar0Grace
Rating: FR7
Word count: 2930
Crossover: Supernatural
Pairing: Sam Winchester/Dawn Summers
Written for: TtH August Fic A Day Challenge
Disclaimer: 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' belongs to Joss Whedon. 'Supernatural' belongs to Eric Kripke. I'm just playing in the sandbox.
Summary: "Sam watched curiously as the two seemed to be preparing for battle."
Sam called Bobby as he drove the unfamiliar green bug away from the flames engulfing the abandoned building. He glanced at the unconscious body in the backseat. Dawn. Bobby gave him the address to a safe house nearby that Dawn's sister would meet them at the following day. Dawn remained unconscious the entire drive and even into the evening as Sam stitched her more serious wounds. Dean watched disinterestedly from the hall and when Sam was finished, he took off to explore the small house. Sam sat at the foot of the bed and watched as her still form, that only moved slightly with each breath, slowly seemed to gain more life. Dawn's eyes scrunched up and he wasn't sure if it was pain or a bad dream but it abated nevertheless.
He was awoken later by the sound of something crashing to the floor further in the darkened house. His gun was already out when he heard the sounds of a struggle and he was on his feet and standing between the unconscious woman and the door when a short blonde rounded the corner.
Her eyes moved immediately to his gun but it was the look on her face as she saw Dawn that had him lowering his weapon and turning up the bedroom lights. She moved slowly forward, the look of horror growing the closer she got. Sam noticed Dean approaching and he held up his hand to stop him as he turned back to the woman. She reached out a hand and brushed a lock of hair from Dawn's forehead. She closed her eyes and Sam wasn't sure if she was reeling in pain or anger but it was gone with an expelled breath. She turned to him.
"I'm Buffy. Dawn's sister. Thank you for helping her."
He nodded. "Sam Winchester. And that's my brother, Dean."
"Nice to m-...Pike?"
Dean's mouth had dropped open and Buffy shook her head before they spoke simultaneously.
"Your name is Dean Winchester?"
"How are you still alive?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he seemed to instantly want to take them back. That Buffy's expression had hardened, and her glare was pointed, was probably reason enough.
"Excuse me?"
Sam watched curiously as the two seemed to be preparing for battle.
"I didn't mean that the way it sounded, it's just...well, it's been about fifteen years and I didn't think Slayers lived anywhere near that long."
Buffy's glare didn't soften and Dean squirmed uncomfortably. Sam couldn't help the grin on his face as he watched the two.
"You didn't even tell me your real name? Seriously?"
"I'm a Hunter, born and bred-I have a number of aliases."
Buffy shrugged sarcastically. "Oh, sure, you hit on me with a fake name. I save your life and you don't bat an eye. But I would have thought that at some point, between my Watcher dying and us skipping off to Vegas, a simple, 'by the way, my name is Dean', wouldn't have gone astray."
Sam laughed and perched himself on the side of the bed. Buffy turned her glare on him and he found himself standing quickly and backing up from the bed, mirth gone. Dean seemed to largely ignore him.
"Your whole world had just crashed and burned! A little white lie wasn't going to hurt anyone."
"'A little white lie'? Oh my gosh, do you even hear yourself? Everything about you was a lie!"
Dean sighed and stepped forward, hand outstretched. "Hi, I'm Dean Winchester, Hunter."
Buffy screwed up her face. "Pfft! A little too late now, buddy! I got over you a long time ago!"
Dean rolled his eyes. "I wasn't hitting on you, I was starting over! We just helped out Dawn, that's all-figured we might as well be friendly."
Buffy turned back to Dawn, her eyes filling with tears. "What happened to her?"
Dean stepped into the room. "We don't know. It was all over by the time we arrived. We couldn't have been very long behind her, so it all must have happened quickly."
"It usually does," she said, sadly. "How did you two get involved with Dawn?"
Sam pushed off from the wall he was leaning against. "A mutual friend asked us to give her a hand. We didn't get there in time to stop this but we thought we'd stick around in case our help was needed. Dawn mentioned something about an apocalypse or two."
Buffy sighed. "Must be Tuesday. How's she doing?"
Sam approached the bed. "Okay, I guess. She should be in a hospital, though. Or at least getting proper medical care."
"She doesn't need either. Over the past few years, her magic has been getting stronger-her healing time is shorter and she's quite adept at magic. Fortunately, she won't ever go dark because she's pure energy. I don't know where it's all going to end though-or how much longer she can keep up these kamikaze missions."
Buffy slipped her hand into Dawn’s and felt the energy being drawn out of her body. She took a deep, steadying, breath and released her sister’s hand. When she noticed their curious expressions, she stood.
“When she’s healing like this, she can draw energy from somebody’s touch. It helps her heal. She doesn’t let anyone touch her while she’s awake so this is the only time I can help.”
“Does she always draw energy from anyone she touches?”
Buffy watched as Sam stepped cautiously forward, eyes on the woman on the bed.
“No. When she’s hurt like this, she can’t control it. At least, she couldn’t. I think she’s been working on control because she didn’t draw the energy like she has before. This was a smaller amount.”
Buffy started for the door in frustration. “She won’t even let me help her when she’s unconscious. Stubborn woman.”
Dean and Sam followed her out as she entered the lounge room. She rubbed her eyes and pulled out a mobile, obviously hitting speed dial as she raised it to her head.
“Wil? I’m here. She’s been working on not drawing energy.” Buffy blinked back tears as she looked up at the ceiling and listened to the person on the other end. “I know, but maybe-”
Dean and Sam watched as she sat heavily on the lounge and put her head in her hands. Sam turned on a table lamp and sat opposite her in the room. Dean remained standing, his eyes running over the woman he had known years ago and noticing the differences in who she’d become.
“No, I won’t know until she wakes up. She’s not gonna be happy, though. She obviously didn’t want us here. Keep looking and let me know what you come up with. I’ll let you know what I find out on this end.”
She glanced up at them as she said goodbye and hung up.
“What were they?”
Sam shrugged and looked to Dean.
“I don’t know,” Dean began, “I’ve never seen anything like them before. Green, ugly...”
Buffy tapped her screen a few times and held it up for them to see. “Did they look like that?”
Sam shook his head. “No, they were more human-looking. What are those?”
Buffy put her mobile in her jacket pocket. “Sisterhood of the Jhe. They’ve popped up a few times, usually when they’re trying to get to her. They’ve been around more frequently lately. Just needed to make sure.”
Sam had leant forward to ask a question when Buffy stiffened and turned her head slightly to the right. Sam reached for his gun. Dean switched off the lamp beside him.
“Were you followed?”
Buffy glared at Dean but she stood silently and took a step toward the window. The glass shattered when a body burst through, the curtains tearing as they landed on their feet and glanced around the room. Sam heard Buffy call his name and he ran for the bedroom. When he crossed the threshold, he noticed someone heading for the sleeping woman on the bed. He raised his gun and shot. The disfigured vampire turned around, teeth bared, and snarled at him in pain. He aimed the gun again and it leapt at him, knocking the gun away as it went for his throat. They both fell heavily backward and Sam heard the unmistakable sound of wood splintering underneath him. He couldn’t see his gun anywhere and he reached around for a weapon. His hand gripped the chair leg and he pulled it between them just as the vampire attacked again. The wood pierced its heart and Sam was shocked when the vampire stiffened and disintegrated above him. His heart beat erratically and he tried to dust himself off before holstering the gun at his feet.
The sounds of battle came from the lounge room and he moved quickly to the bed, scooping the unconscious woman into his arms. He hurriedly rushed her from the room and into the hallway, stopping when another disfigured vampire blocked his path. It snarled before disintegrating and leaving a worn Dean behind. Dean beckoned him and Sam followed him into the lounge room. Sam watched as Buffy fluidly moved around the room, attacking multiple disfigured vampires at once. She called Dean’s name as he fought with a possessed man and Dean caught the knife she threw his way. The knife slid into the man’s stomach and his eyes lit up before the body dropped to the ground. Dean glanced at him.
“Go! We've got this.”
Sam practically ran out of the door as he unlocked the green Bug and placed Dawn inside. Climbing into the driver’s seat, he started the engine, reversed down the drive, and disappeared into the night.
As the last vampire turned to dust, Buffy glanced at Dean.
“Where are they?”
“Safe. Did you drive?”
Buffy dusted herself off. “No, I caught a taxi and walked.”
Dean headed out the door and Buffy followed hot on his heels. As he unlocked the Impala, Buffy slid into the passenger seat.
“Sam and I had a contingency plan. He’ll be headed there. Why did they follow you? Do you have something that belongs to them?”
Buffy grit her teeth. “They didn’t follow me. That was a coordinated attack-they’ve had time to plan something which means they must have followed you.”
“No way. I kept an eye out the entire time. No one followed us.”
“Well, they found out somehow.”
Dean breathed in quickly and Buffy eyed him. “What?”
“On the phone, a guy named Giles was telling us about Dawn and he mentioned that the more powerful demons can sense her now, that it’s something in their blood. And Dawn mentioned something about the blood in my brother’s body being like a beacon if they got too close.”
“There’s demon blood in his body?”
“Look, it’s a long story, but can that happen?”
Buffy’s fists clenched tightly. “Yes, it can. I have all the time in the world right now, so how about you tell me why he has demon blood in his system.”
~
Sam pulled into the parking lot. He glanced around before climbing out and locking the car. He procured the room and salted it, making sure it was safe. He carefully carried Dawn from the car and placed her on the single bed furthest from the door, noticing that her cuts were healing quickly and her bruises were starting to fade. The night manager had showed little interest in him when he’d asked for a room, and had barely looked up when he’d asked for a specific one.
He had just been about to check for signs of Dean when Dawn groaned and her eyes opened slowly. Sam sat down on the bed beside her.
“Are you okay?”
Dawn frowned and he smiled comfortingly. “You’re safe. I’m Sam. We pulled you from the warehouse and brought you to a safe house but it was attacked so I moved you here. Buffy’s here-well, she was just behind us so she’ll be here any minute.”
Dawn sat up unsteadily and he reached out a hand to steady her. She shirked away in response and he held up his hands.
“I’m sorry. I won’t hurt you though. You just looked like you could use a hand.”
Dawn looked around the room and Sam snorted. “It’s not much but it’ll keep you safe for a little while.”
Dawn’s blue eyes darted to his. “No, it won’t. Didn’t you hear me back at Bobby’s? You and I together is dangerous.”
Her eyes held every indication that she was speaking on more than one level but he decided to take it at face value.
“You mean they attacked because of me?”
Dawn wet her dry lips and closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, she shifted slightly away from him on the bed. “I’m like a beacon; I draw the magical toward me-evil and good alike. When demon blood gets too close, it strengthens that signal. It’s only a small amount running through you, but it’s enough. It’s powerful enough.”
Sam shifted uneasily. “She wasn’t that powerful.”
Dawn tilted her head. “Was this recently? Because the demon blood that I’m talking about is old, bonded to your being, twisted around it like a disease. It feels very powerful. It feels like death.”
His head dropped and he realised what she was talking about. That had been beyond his control, something he’d thought he’d shaken. Obviously, he hadn’t. She surprised him when her hand reached out and gingerly touched the side of his face.
“It doesn’t feel like you. Your aura isn’t tainted by it, you’re not controlled by it-but you could be. It’s there.”
The door to the room swung open and they both turned as Buffy strode into the room.
“Get away from her! You’re making it worse!”
Dean swung the door closed and rolled his eyes as Sam stood and retreated to the other side of the room.
“What she means, is that the closer you two are standing, the more attacks we’re gonna have.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “Thank you for helping but I can take it from here. It’s probably best if you both leave.”
Dawn stood shakily from the bed. “Actually, we’re gonna need them. I took down a cell-that’s all. It’s probably a combination of retaliation and power that’s drawing them here and they won’t stop until they’ve opened that portal.” She pointed toward Sam and Dean. “They can leave but they’ve been seen with me now. They’ll be marked. If the demons can’t get me, they’ll get to me through them.”
“Well, they know where we are because of him! What do you propose we do?”
Dawn stiffened and turned her body completely toward her sister, the two standing toe-to-toe as they glared at one another.
“We hide him.”
Dawn ignored Buffy’s eyeroll, stepping around her angry sister to a cautious Sam. He took a small step backward but bumped into the wall and stilled. Dawn approached him carefully.
“Do you trust me?”
Trust was not an easy thing to come by, especially not in their lives, but she smiled when he nodded slowly. She placed her hand over his heart.
“This will only hurt for a moment.”
Dawn closed her eyes and felt her hand heat when her power poured through her, enveloping him. Her mind focused on what she was trying to accomplish. A green glow surrounded her hand and she felt his heart beat strongly beneath it. One beat. Two. As he cried out in pain, her eyes flung open and she dropped her hand, stepping back as he slid to the floor. She knelt beside him and caught his eye.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded, still wincing as he lifted his shirt and glanced at the fading handprint. It was green, sparkly, and the exact size of her hand. As he looked to her again, he noticed Dean and Buffy standing a couple of metres back, their hands resting on an invisible barrier.
“Uh, Dawn?”
He nodded in their siblings' direction, pulling his shirt down as she stood.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that.”
Dean didn’t even look her way as the barrier fell and he strode quickly to Sam. He pulled at the neck of his brother's shirt but the mark had faded. Dean spun around.
“What was that?”
“He’s hidden now. Or, more accurately, his blood is.”
Dean glared.
“I couldn’t remove the demon blood, it’s a part of who he is, but I could hide it. Sort of like a bubble around it. He can’t be controlled through it and proximity to me will no longer have any effect. It’s temporary though, just like any bubble-if enough magic courses through him, it will pop.”
“How long will it last?”
Dawn sat down tiredly on the bed behind her and Buffy moved quickly to her side. She brushed her sister away and sighed.
“As long as I’m conscious. I’m maintaining it, with my energy, and it’ll be there even if I sleep. If I go down though, so will the energy.”
Buffy narrowed her eyes. “And what is this costing you?”
Dawn avoided her as she stood and climbed back onto the bed she’d been healing on. Her eyes closed heavily but Buffy’s bark at her caused her to open them again.
“Not enough for you to worry about.”
She closed her eyes again and let herself be pulled into a dreamless sleep.
Author: Skylar0Grace
Rating: FR7
Word count: 2930
Crossover: Supernatural
Pairing: Sam Winchester/Dawn Summers
Written for: TtH August Fic A Day Challenge
Disclaimer: 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' belongs to Joss Whedon. 'Supernatural' belongs to Eric Kripke. I'm just playing in the sandbox.
Summary: "Sam watched curiously as the two seemed to be preparing for battle."
Sam called Bobby as he drove the unfamiliar green bug away from the flames engulfing the abandoned building. He glanced at the unconscious body in the backseat. Dawn. Bobby gave him the address to a safe house nearby that Dawn's sister would meet them at the following day. Dawn remained unconscious the entire drive and even into the evening as Sam stitched her more serious wounds. Dean watched disinterestedly from the hall and when Sam was finished, he took off to explore the small house. Sam sat at the foot of the bed and watched as her still form, that only moved slightly with each breath, slowly seemed to gain more life. Dawn's eyes scrunched up and he wasn't sure if it was pain or a bad dream but it abated nevertheless.
He was awoken later by the sound of something crashing to the floor further in the darkened house. His gun was already out when he heard the sounds of a struggle and he was on his feet and standing between the unconscious woman and the door when a short blonde rounded the corner.
Her eyes moved immediately to his gun but it was the look on her face as she saw Dawn that had him lowering his weapon and turning up the bedroom lights. She moved slowly forward, the look of horror growing the closer she got. Sam noticed Dean approaching and he held up his hand to stop him as he turned back to the woman. She reached out a hand and brushed a lock of hair from Dawn's forehead. She closed her eyes and Sam wasn't sure if she was reeling in pain or anger but it was gone with an expelled breath. She turned to him.
"I'm Buffy. Dawn's sister. Thank you for helping her."
He nodded. "Sam Winchester. And that's my brother, Dean."
"Nice to m-...Pike?"
Dean's mouth had dropped open and Buffy shook her head before they spoke simultaneously.
"Your name is Dean Winchester?"
"How are you still alive?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, he seemed to instantly want to take them back. That Buffy's expression had hardened, and her glare was pointed, was probably reason enough.
"Excuse me?"
Sam watched curiously as the two seemed to be preparing for battle.
"I didn't mean that the way it sounded, it's just...well, it's been about fifteen years and I didn't think Slayers lived anywhere near that long."
Buffy's glare didn't soften and Dean squirmed uncomfortably. Sam couldn't help the grin on his face as he watched the two.
"You didn't even tell me your real name? Seriously?"
"I'm a Hunter, born and bred-I have a number of aliases."
Buffy shrugged sarcastically. "Oh, sure, you hit on me with a fake name. I save your life and you don't bat an eye. But I would have thought that at some point, between my Watcher dying and us skipping off to Vegas, a simple, 'by the way, my name is Dean', wouldn't have gone astray."
Sam laughed and perched himself on the side of the bed. Buffy turned her glare on him and he found himself standing quickly and backing up from the bed, mirth gone. Dean seemed to largely ignore him.
"Your whole world had just crashed and burned! A little white lie wasn't going to hurt anyone."
"'A little white lie'? Oh my gosh, do you even hear yourself? Everything about you was a lie!"
Dean sighed and stepped forward, hand outstretched. "Hi, I'm Dean Winchester, Hunter."
Buffy screwed up her face. "Pfft! A little too late now, buddy! I got over you a long time ago!"
Dean rolled his eyes. "I wasn't hitting on you, I was starting over! We just helped out Dawn, that's all-figured we might as well be friendly."
Buffy turned back to Dawn, her eyes filling with tears. "What happened to her?"
Dean stepped into the room. "We don't know. It was all over by the time we arrived. We couldn't have been very long behind her, so it all must have happened quickly."
"It usually does," she said, sadly. "How did you two get involved with Dawn?"
Sam pushed off from the wall he was leaning against. "A mutual friend asked us to give her a hand. We didn't get there in time to stop this but we thought we'd stick around in case our help was needed. Dawn mentioned something about an apocalypse or two."
Buffy sighed. "Must be Tuesday. How's she doing?"
Sam approached the bed. "Okay, I guess. She should be in a hospital, though. Or at least getting proper medical care."
"She doesn't need either. Over the past few years, her magic has been getting stronger-her healing time is shorter and she's quite adept at magic. Fortunately, she won't ever go dark because she's pure energy. I don't know where it's all going to end though-or how much longer she can keep up these kamikaze missions."
Buffy slipped her hand into Dawn’s and felt the energy being drawn out of her body. She took a deep, steadying, breath and released her sister’s hand. When she noticed their curious expressions, she stood.
“When she’s healing like this, she can draw energy from somebody’s touch. It helps her heal. She doesn’t let anyone touch her while she’s awake so this is the only time I can help.”
“Does she always draw energy from anyone she touches?”
Buffy watched as Sam stepped cautiously forward, eyes on the woman on the bed.
“No. When she’s hurt like this, she can’t control it. At least, she couldn’t. I think she’s been working on control because she didn’t draw the energy like she has before. This was a smaller amount.”
Buffy started for the door in frustration. “She won’t even let me help her when she’s unconscious. Stubborn woman.”
Dean and Sam followed her out as she entered the lounge room. She rubbed her eyes and pulled out a mobile, obviously hitting speed dial as she raised it to her head.
“Wil? I’m here. She’s been working on not drawing energy.” Buffy blinked back tears as she looked up at the ceiling and listened to the person on the other end. “I know, but maybe-”
Dean and Sam watched as she sat heavily on the lounge and put her head in her hands. Sam turned on a table lamp and sat opposite her in the room. Dean remained standing, his eyes running over the woman he had known years ago and noticing the differences in who she’d become.
“No, I won’t know until she wakes up. She’s not gonna be happy, though. She obviously didn’t want us here. Keep looking and let me know what you come up with. I’ll let you know what I find out on this end.”
She glanced up at them as she said goodbye and hung up.
“What were they?”
Sam shrugged and looked to Dean.
“I don’t know,” Dean began, “I’ve never seen anything like them before. Green, ugly...”
Buffy tapped her screen a few times and held it up for them to see. “Did they look like that?”
Sam shook his head. “No, they were more human-looking. What are those?”
Buffy put her mobile in her jacket pocket. “Sisterhood of the Jhe. They’ve popped up a few times, usually when they’re trying to get to her. They’ve been around more frequently lately. Just needed to make sure.”
Sam had leant forward to ask a question when Buffy stiffened and turned her head slightly to the right. Sam reached for his gun. Dean switched off the lamp beside him.
“Were you followed?”
Buffy glared at Dean but she stood silently and took a step toward the window. The glass shattered when a body burst through, the curtains tearing as they landed on their feet and glanced around the room. Sam heard Buffy call his name and he ran for the bedroom. When he crossed the threshold, he noticed someone heading for the sleeping woman on the bed. He raised his gun and shot. The disfigured vampire turned around, teeth bared, and snarled at him in pain. He aimed the gun again and it leapt at him, knocking the gun away as it went for his throat. They both fell heavily backward and Sam heard the unmistakable sound of wood splintering underneath him. He couldn’t see his gun anywhere and he reached around for a weapon. His hand gripped the chair leg and he pulled it between them just as the vampire attacked again. The wood pierced its heart and Sam was shocked when the vampire stiffened and disintegrated above him. His heart beat erratically and he tried to dust himself off before holstering the gun at his feet.
The sounds of battle came from the lounge room and he moved quickly to the bed, scooping the unconscious woman into his arms. He hurriedly rushed her from the room and into the hallway, stopping when another disfigured vampire blocked his path. It snarled before disintegrating and leaving a worn Dean behind. Dean beckoned him and Sam followed him into the lounge room. Sam watched as Buffy fluidly moved around the room, attacking multiple disfigured vampires at once. She called Dean’s name as he fought with a possessed man and Dean caught the knife she threw his way. The knife slid into the man’s stomach and his eyes lit up before the body dropped to the ground. Dean glanced at him.
“Go! We've got this.”
Sam practically ran out of the door as he unlocked the green Bug and placed Dawn inside. Climbing into the driver’s seat, he started the engine, reversed down the drive, and disappeared into the night.
As the last vampire turned to dust, Buffy glanced at Dean.
“Where are they?”
“Safe. Did you drive?”
Buffy dusted herself off. “No, I caught a taxi and walked.”
Dean headed out the door and Buffy followed hot on his heels. As he unlocked the Impala, Buffy slid into the passenger seat.
“Sam and I had a contingency plan. He’ll be headed there. Why did they follow you? Do you have something that belongs to them?”
Buffy grit her teeth. “They didn’t follow me. That was a coordinated attack-they’ve had time to plan something which means they must have followed you.”
“No way. I kept an eye out the entire time. No one followed us.”
“Well, they found out somehow.”
Dean breathed in quickly and Buffy eyed him. “What?”
“On the phone, a guy named Giles was telling us about Dawn and he mentioned that the more powerful demons can sense her now, that it’s something in their blood. And Dawn mentioned something about the blood in my brother’s body being like a beacon if they got too close.”
“There’s demon blood in his body?”
“Look, it’s a long story, but can that happen?”
Buffy’s fists clenched tightly. “Yes, it can. I have all the time in the world right now, so how about you tell me why he has demon blood in his system.”
~
Sam pulled into the parking lot. He glanced around before climbing out and locking the car. He procured the room and salted it, making sure it was safe. He carefully carried Dawn from the car and placed her on the single bed furthest from the door, noticing that her cuts were healing quickly and her bruises were starting to fade. The night manager had showed little interest in him when he’d asked for a room, and had barely looked up when he’d asked for a specific one.
He had just been about to check for signs of Dean when Dawn groaned and her eyes opened slowly. Sam sat down on the bed beside her.
“Are you okay?”
Dawn frowned and he smiled comfortingly. “You’re safe. I’m Sam. We pulled you from the warehouse and brought you to a safe house but it was attacked so I moved you here. Buffy’s here-well, she was just behind us so she’ll be here any minute.”
Dawn sat up unsteadily and he reached out a hand to steady her. She shirked away in response and he held up his hands.
“I’m sorry. I won’t hurt you though. You just looked like you could use a hand.”
Dawn looked around the room and Sam snorted. “It’s not much but it’ll keep you safe for a little while.”
Dawn’s blue eyes darted to his. “No, it won’t. Didn’t you hear me back at Bobby’s? You and I together is dangerous.”
Her eyes held every indication that she was speaking on more than one level but he decided to take it at face value.
“You mean they attacked because of me?”
Dawn wet her dry lips and closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, she shifted slightly away from him on the bed. “I’m like a beacon; I draw the magical toward me-evil and good alike. When demon blood gets too close, it strengthens that signal. It’s only a small amount running through you, but it’s enough. It’s powerful enough.”
Sam shifted uneasily. “She wasn’t that powerful.”
Dawn tilted her head. “Was this recently? Because the demon blood that I’m talking about is old, bonded to your being, twisted around it like a disease. It feels very powerful. It feels like death.”
His head dropped and he realised what she was talking about. That had been beyond his control, something he’d thought he’d shaken. Obviously, he hadn’t. She surprised him when her hand reached out and gingerly touched the side of his face.
“It doesn’t feel like you. Your aura isn’t tainted by it, you’re not controlled by it-but you could be. It’s there.”
The door to the room swung open and they both turned as Buffy strode into the room.
“Get away from her! You’re making it worse!”
Dean swung the door closed and rolled his eyes as Sam stood and retreated to the other side of the room.
“What she means, is that the closer you two are standing, the more attacks we’re gonna have.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “Thank you for helping but I can take it from here. It’s probably best if you both leave.”
Dawn stood shakily from the bed. “Actually, we’re gonna need them. I took down a cell-that’s all. It’s probably a combination of retaliation and power that’s drawing them here and they won’t stop until they’ve opened that portal.” She pointed toward Sam and Dean. “They can leave but they’ve been seen with me now. They’ll be marked. If the demons can’t get me, they’ll get to me through them.”
“Well, they know where we are because of him! What do you propose we do?”
Dawn stiffened and turned her body completely toward her sister, the two standing toe-to-toe as they glared at one another.
“We hide him.”
Dawn ignored Buffy’s eyeroll, stepping around her angry sister to a cautious Sam. He took a small step backward but bumped into the wall and stilled. Dawn approached him carefully.
“Do you trust me?”
Trust was not an easy thing to come by, especially not in their lives, but she smiled when he nodded slowly. She placed her hand over his heart.
“This will only hurt for a moment.”
Dawn closed her eyes and felt her hand heat when her power poured through her, enveloping him. Her mind focused on what she was trying to accomplish. A green glow surrounded her hand and she felt his heart beat strongly beneath it. One beat. Two. As he cried out in pain, her eyes flung open and she dropped her hand, stepping back as he slid to the floor. She knelt beside him and caught his eye.
“Are you okay?”
He nodded, still wincing as he lifted his shirt and glanced at the fading handprint. It was green, sparkly, and the exact size of her hand. As he looked to her again, he noticed Dean and Buffy standing a couple of metres back, their hands resting on an invisible barrier.
“Uh, Dawn?”
He nodded in their siblings' direction, pulling his shirt down as she stood.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that.”
Dean didn’t even look her way as the barrier fell and he strode quickly to Sam. He pulled at the neck of his brother's shirt but the mark had faded. Dean spun around.
“What was that?”
“He’s hidden now. Or, more accurately, his blood is.”
Dean glared.
“I couldn’t remove the demon blood, it’s a part of who he is, but I could hide it. Sort of like a bubble around it. He can’t be controlled through it and proximity to me will no longer have any effect. It’s temporary though, just like any bubble-if enough magic courses through him, it will pop.”
“How long will it last?”
Dawn sat down tiredly on the bed behind her and Buffy moved quickly to her side. She brushed her sister away and sighed.
“As long as I’m conscious. I’m maintaining it, with my energy, and it’ll be there even if I sleep. If I go down though, so will the energy.”
Buffy narrowed her eyes. “And what is this costing you?”
Dawn avoided her as she stood and climbed back onto the bed she’d been healing on. Her eyes closed heavily but Buffy’s bark at her caused her to open them again.
“Not enough for you to worry about.”
She closed her eyes again and let herself be pulled into a dreamless sleep.