High School Sweethearts and Second Chances spn/btvs ch 27
Title: High School Sweethearts and Second Chances (SPN/Btvs) Chapter 27
Author: Noturbaby
Fandoms: Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Rating: PG-13 - R
Warnings: None (eventual het sex between teens)
Pairings: Dean & Buffy Willow & Oz Most BtVS characters make an appearance.
Summary: Adds the Winchesters to Seasons 2 and 3 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy's a junior and Dean's a senior at Sunnydale High. At first, Dean doesn't know Buffy's a Slayer. Story deals with dating when part of life is fighting the supernatural.
Based on the Buffy Season 3 episodes Gingerbread, Helpless, Bad girls; with some actual dialogue from each episode.
Buffy strolled through the park, waiting. “Let’s get going already,” she huffed under breath as she wondered what was taking the vampires so long to arrive. “I have places to go, phone calls to make….” Finally, she heard foot steps in the picnic area behind her.
“Hi honey, would you like some hot chocolate?”
“Mom?!” Buffy spun around to see her mother taking a seat at a picnic table. “What are you doing here?”
Joyce smiled up at her daughter, “I thought it was time I took an interest in this Slaying business you do.” She filled a cup from the thermos she brought. “While we wait, I thought maybe we could talk about your college options again. After all, with Faith here, you can go to school just about anywhere and have a normal college experience.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. Ever since returning from her visit with Dean, her mother had been relentless with the college pressure. Buffy wondered if the trip had been a bribe to let her mother choose a college or something.
“Mom, on patrol here. Not really time to make with the mother/daughter talks.”
“Oh,” Joyce was obviously feeling put out by her daughter’s reply.
“Mom,” Buffy sighed thinking she may have hurt Joyce’s feelings. “It’s hard to kill the bad guys if I’m worried about you being close by.”
“Right.” Joyce nodded and put a finger to her lips.
Buffy turned and scanned the area, heard and saw nothing. She gave up and sat on the bench by her mother to take a sip of the hot chocolate.
A rustling in the bushes nearby, caught Buffy’s attention. Motioning for her mother to stay still and quiet, Buffy rose from the bench and quietly crept toward the bushes. A moment later, a vampire turned to dust at the end of her stake. Buffy looked at her mother who was beaming at her.
“Buffy, you are really quite good at that, aren’t you?”
Buffy nodded, “Yeah, Mom. Too bad they don’t offer slaying as a major anywhere.”
Joyce gathered her things as she rose from the picnic bench. “Hmm, true, but maybe there is some way to use that talent in school.”
Buffy rolled her eyes behind Joyce’s back as they made their way out of the park.
“Oh, dear, what is that over there?” Joyce pointed to a swing set in the playground area of the park. “Are those children?”
Buffy and Joyce run over to the play ground finding two children laying on the ground.
Joyce gasped, “Oh, God. Oh…” Buffy knelt by the children to discover that they are dead. Joyce can't believe her eyes. Each of the children had one arm outstretched, and drawn in black on the palms of their hands is a triangle. It has a wide U-shaped symbol in the middle, with its ends extending out from the triangle and bending in a sharp arc at the tips.
“Mom,” Buffy spoke calmly, “go call 911.”
Later…
The police bustled with activity around them. . Buffy reached her mother after talking with the police. “They said we can go home now.”
Joyce was distraught. “They were little kids. Did you see them? They're so tiny. Who could do something like this?“
“I'm so sorry that you had to see this.” Buffy put her hand on her mother’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. “But I promise, everything is gonna be okay. I'm gonna find whatever did it.”
“Damn, Princess, that’s awful. How’s your mom doing?” Dean wiped down the bar as Buffy told him of that night’s gruesome discovery.
“Uh, not so good,” Buffy answered as she flopped on her bed. “She actually had to take something to help her sleep.”
“She worked up over seeing you work or the kids?”
“Mostly the kids, they were so little and helpless, ya know?”
“What do you think got the kids?” Dean ran a hand over his head. Something happening to little kids always got to him and his dad.
“I have no idea, but they had strange markings on their hands.” Buffy shuddered. “I’ll find it though and I’ll kill it.”
“I know you will, sweetheart,” Dean wished he could be there to help her. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do, ‘kay?”
Over the next couple days, Joyce Summers became involved in finding what had killed the young boy and girl. The symbol on their hands was related to witchcraft. She formed a group of parents and citizens to band together to stop witchcraft in Sunnydale.
At Sunnydale High, Buffy was meeting with Giles to discuss the meaning of the symbol. Buffy looked at Giles, “Witches didn't do it. Did they?”
Giles pinched the bridge of his nose, “Actually, I think they may have. My research keeps bringing me back to European Wiccan covens.”
“You found the meaning of the symbol?” Buffy asked in a harsh whisper as they made their way down the hall.
“I'm pretty sure, yes. There's a, a piece of information I need that's in a book that Willow borrowed.” Giles and Buffy approach Willow while she’s at her locker.
Buffy squinted as she held up a notebook. “Willow, what is this?”
Willow took the notebook back, hurriedly added, “A doodle. I do doodle. You doodle, too.”
Buffy looked at her friend, “This is a witch symbol.”
Willow nodded, “Okay, yeah, it is.”
Buffy and Giles exchange worried glances. “Willow, that symbol was on the murdered children,” Giles said quietly, but making sure Willow understood the seriousness of the matter.
Before they can get any further into it, they are distracted by the sounds of many lockers suddenly being slammed shut. They heard a policeman talking, “Please step back. Stay away from the lockers. This is police business.”
Buffy, Willow and Xander exchanged alarmed looks. Willow began to freak out “Oh, God, my locker's next. Buffy, I didn't do anything wrong.” An officer pulls some plastic bags from Willow's locker. “The, the symbol is harmless. I used it to make a protection spell for you, for your birthday. With Michael and Amy. Only, now it's broken, because you know about it, so happy birthday, and please, you have to believe me!”
Snyder walked over to the group with the bags in hand, “Ms. Rosenberg. My office.” He held up the bags of henbane and mandrake root. Willow stared back at him, eyes wide with worry and fear. Buffy discreetly walked in front of her and took Giles' book from her arms. Willow walked down the hall in front of Snyder. Oz accompanied her with his hand on her back in a gesture of comfort.
In the library, a police officer kicked open the cage door and marched out into the room with a stack of books in his hands. He dropped them unceremoniously into a box. Another officer came down from the stacks with another armful of books. Buffy entered the library as still another officer walked out carrying one of the boxes.
“They're confiscating my books,” Giles told her with angry disbelief.
Buffy was stunned, “Giles, we need those books.”
Giles rolled his eyes, “Believe me, I tried to tell that to the nice man with the big gun.”
Buffy pulled Giles off to the side, “There's something about the symbol that we're missing. Willow said she used it in a protection spell. It's harmless. Not a big bad. So then why would it turn up in a ritual sacrifice?”
“I don't know.” Giles wiped his glasses. “Ordinarily, I would say let's widen our research.”
Buffy glared at him, “Using what? A-a dictionary and 'My Friend Flicka'?”
Giles nodded and huffed feeling her frustration.
Suddenly, Buffy looked like a giant light bulb was turned on in her head. “Did they take your computer?”
“Uh, no, but Willow’s the one that knows..” Giles began.
Buffy walked to the computer. “What time is it in Pittsburgh?” she asked as she began to type.
“There’s a three hour difference. Buffy?” Giles looked at her in wonder. Since when did Buffy know how to do computer research?
“Perfect. Sam Winchester should be sitting at his laptop by now.” Buffy gave Giles a knowing smile. If they couldn’t have their Willow and their books, they’d bring in a ringer.
Sam was typing his final term paper for American History when his laptop beeped telling him he had mail. He opened it, excited to get something from Sunnydale High. He figured Buffy, Willow or Oz had sent him something for Dean, but at least he got to see it, too.
Sam,
It’s Buffy and Giles. Our books have been taken and Willow is grounded until forever for being a witch. We need help with a case. Are you there? Can you help? Two kids have been killed and they both had strange markings on their hands. Like a U shape. Willow said it’s a wiccan protection symbol, so what’s it doing on the dead kids’ hands? Please see what you can find out. It’s urgent. People are acting like it’s the Salem witch hunts all over again.
Buffy
Sam stared at the screen for a moment before his brain kicked into high gear. He fired back a note.
Buffy,
I’m here. I’ll look up what I can about the symbol. What else can you tell me about the kids? What are their names? Where are they from? Anything you tell me will help.
Sam
Xander and Oz entered the library surprised to see Buffy at the computer. “Gotta say, Buff, that’s a new, unexpected look for you.”
Buffy ignored him. “What do we know about these kids?”
“Well,” Xander began, “they were, uh, found in the park.”
Buffy shook her head. “No. Where did they go to school? Who were their parents? What are their names?” Giles takes off his glasses, and the guys exchange looks. No one had answers for any of her questions. “We know everything about their deaths, but we don't even know their names.”
Xander looked confused, “Well, sure we do. Um, it's on the tip of my tongue.”
Oz gave Buffy an understanding look. “That never came up. Ever.”
Buffy looked at Oz and nodded. “And if no one knows who they are, where did these pictures come from?”
Giles put his glasses back on and stared at the screen. “I just assumed someone had the details. I never really... Well, that is strange.”
“We need to get some information.” Buffy ordered. “Oz, I’m online with Sam Winchester. Do you think you could take over and tell him what we know so he can help with the research?”
“I’m on it.” Oz sat at the computer and began to type. “Alright, we're linked. If anybody's ID'd the kids, he'll pull it up and feed it here.”
In Pittsburgh, Sam surfed the web, looking for any leads. In the Sunnydale High library, Oz did his part and brought up the pages as Sam found them. Giles read the text from the screen. “Oh. 'Two Children Found Dead. Mysterious Mark...' No. No. These children were found near Omaha in 1949.”
Xander nodded, “Yeah, they ain't ours. Keep going.”
Before Oz moved on, the accompanying image loaded. Buffy leaned over his shoulder and studied the screen. “Wait.”
Sam saw the same image loading on his screen and looked at it in surprise. “Those are…”
“...the same kids.” Buffy gasped.
Giles is astonished, “Fifty years ago.”
Oz loaded up the next page from Sam and read, “1899. Utah... Two Children... Rural Community Torn Apart by Suspicion.' “
Xander was confused, “A hundred years ago? How is this possible?”
Oz read the screen, “Sam says there's no mention of who they were.”
Buffy had a sudden realization, “They've never been seen alive, just dead. A lot.”
Sam sent the next page. “This one is dated 1649 and has a hand drawing of the two children. Ah. There were more articles. Every fifty years. All the same.” Oz looked from Buffy to Giles.
Giles was intrigued and read over Oz’s shoulder. Sam sent a new page: “From as far back as 1649. …a cleric from a village near the Black Forest. He... found the bodies himself. Two children... Greta Strauss, age six. Hans Strauss, eight. There is a fringe theory held by a few folklorists that some regional stories have actual, um, very literal antecedents.”
Buffy looked from the screen to Giles, “And in English?”
“Fairy tales are real?” Oz asked in clarification.
Buffy nodded, “Hansel and Gretel? Breadcrumbs, ovens, gingerbread house? Hansel and Gretel run home to tell everyone about the mean old witch.”
Oz typed to Sam to let him know they got and understood the message, as Giles said, “Some demons thrive by fostering hatred and, and, uh, persecution amongst the mortal animals. Not by, not by destroying men, but by watching men destroy each other. Now, they feed us our darkest fear and turn peaceful communities into vigilantes.”
At that same moment, Sam sends them the same demon theory. However, Oz has no time to respond as Michael, rushed into the library, beaten and bloody, “I was attacked! My dad. His friends. They're taking people out of their homes. They're talking about a trial down at City Hall. They got Amy.”
“Michael, stay here and hide. Giles, let’s go find my mom.” Buffy and Giles hustled out of the library.
Oz grabbed Xander's attention. “Willow!” The two of them ran out of the library.
Sam waited for a response. “Hello? Anyone?” He stared at his screen nervously for a few minutes. He looked over to his father, but didn’t want to upset him. After another minute of no replies, Sam decided he needed to tell Dean what was going on.
Down in the bar, Dean was shaking dice with a customer when he saw an agitated Sam approach. “What’s got you in a panic, Sammy?” Dean asked grinning.
Sam looked from the customer to Dean, “Uh, it’s, uh, business.” Dean gave him a confused look and took his turn with the dice. “Sunnydale business.”
That grabbed Dean’s full attention. He left the cup, the cash, the bar, and grabbed Sam’s arm to lead him off to a more private spot. “What’s going on?”
Sam filled him in and watched his brother turn ten shades of angry and worried. “Get your ass back on that computer and don’t leave it ‘til you hear from them.” Sam nodded at Dean’s order and ran back to the apartment.
Dean had called the Summer’s residence and Oz but had gotten no reply. Hours dragged by. Sam and Dean both paced and worried.
It was nearly dawn in Pittsburgh, when Dean’s phone rang. An exhausted Buffy whispered, “We’re okay. We’re all okay. Tell Sam and thank him.”
Dean dragged a hand over his face. “Baby, I’ve been so fuckin’ worried,” he sighed. “Glad you remembered to call.” He heard Buffy’s stifled yawn. “Go to bed, but, this isn’t over. I’m pissed about this witchcraft crap.” Buffy began to protest when Dean interrupted. “Hey, we’re way too tired to talk about it now. Get some rest, Buffy, we can talk later.”
Buffy smiled. “Love you, Dean.”
“Right back at you, sweetheart.”
“Babe, all I’m saying is that witchcraft is evil. I didn’t say I think Willow is evil.” Dean tried to explain. “But I do think it’s dangerous to get involved with something that is powerful enough to raise spirits and conjure demons.”
“Willow doesn’t do that. She more like a Glenda the good witch with protection spells and stuff.”
“Well, I’ve seen my share of witches that started out thinking they could handle the light and easy stuff, but then the power is like a drug and they turn evil. I just don’t even want to think about that happening to Willow.” Dean put some more of his things into his duffel. “Hey, uh, we’re pulling out of here by the end of the week. But, I don’t think that I’m gonna make it out there by your birthday.”
“So, your dad is better?” Buffy asked with relief.
“Better?” Dean half laughed, “uh, well, since he’s able to move, I guess that means better. Back to his old self is more like it.”
“That’s good.”
Dean sighed, “Yeah, but I’m sorry about your birthday.”
“Not a big deal, Dean. My birthdays usually suck. However, this year, I’m going to the ice show with my dad so that will be cool.”
Dean paused in his movements, “Ice show? Like with costumes and shit?”
“Yeah, and shut up. I like the ice show. I skate, you know. I used to skate, a lot. And many of the performers were Olympic athletes. And the costumes are nice and….”
“Whoa, babe, relax. If you like the ice capades then go, have a good time with your Dad. I won’t feel so bad not being there if I know you’re having fun.”
Buffy twirled her hair and paused, “You think it’s lame and you’re mocking me, aren’t you?”
“Babe,” Dean started to laugh, “yeah, I think they’re lame, but hey,” he shrugged. “I know better than to mock a slayer. You’d kick my ass the next time I saw you.”
“Damn straight I would,” Buffy laughed.
“So did you wear those tiny skirts when you skated?” Dean asked with his mind in the gutter.
“Dean,” Buffy scolded, but she couldn’t feel angry. At least he was thinking of her. “When will you be able to come out here?”
“I’m not sure. We’re gonna visit a friend in South Dakota for a while. He’s got some information for my dad. But I promise I’ll be out there as soon as I can.”
night, during patrol, a vampire got the jump on Buffy and nearly stabbed her with her own stake, before she was finally able to overcome him.
Then next morning at school, Xander and Willow meet Buffy to discuss plans for her eighteenth birthday.
Xander was astonished to hear that Buffy didn’t want a big party for her birthday. “Okay, but we're still talking party, right? I mean, some of us relish celebrating the birth of the Buf.”
Buffy wrinkled her nose at the thought. “Maybe it's time to call a moratorium on parties in my honor. They tend to go badly. Monsters crash, people die…”
Willow shook her head. “Eighteen is a big one, Buffy. You can vote now. You can be drafted. You can vote not to be drafted.”
Buffy shrugged, “Still, I think maybe I'll just celebrate this one with quiet reflection.”
Xander put his arm around her shoulders, “Where's it written quiet reflection can't be combined with cake and funny hats?”
Buffy gave him a look, but Willow studied her for a minute. “Is this ‘cause Dean can’t make it?” Buffy looked at her in surprise. “’cause we can make you forget all about him, you won’t miss him at all.” Xander and Buffy both look at her skeptically. “I mean, we can show you a good time without Dean..”
Xander started to snicker and Buffy elbowed him lightly. “Willow, it’s okay. My dad is going to take me to the ice show.” She pulled away from Xander and pointed at him chidingly. “Don’t mock, I like the ice show, okay.”
Willow and Xander both nod and fight the urge to giggle, “Okay.”
“Giles, something's wrong.” Buffy announced when her watcher entered the library.
“Wrong?” Giles asked, then followed her gaze to the archery target with knives stuck in everything but the target. Buffy threw one more and it stuck in the shelf near Giles. “Ah. Maybe you shouldn't do that anymore.”
“On top of that, I got a bad case of the dizzies last night and almost let a vamp stake me. With my own stake!” Buffy threw again, wide. “I am way off my game, my game's left the country, what's going on here?”
Giles adjusted his glasses, “Well... probably you've just contracted a flu-bug or something.”
Buffy registered the possibility with grave disappointment. “Oh, no. Not sick. I can't get sick.”
“Buffy, with precautions, there's no reason to think you'll end up in the hospital like last time.” Giles attempted to reassure her.
“No, my father's coming up to take me to the ice show. We do it every year for my birthday. If I cancel on him, it'll break his heart.”
“Perhaps you should take it easy for the next forty-eight hours.” Giles suggested. “Forego any more patrolling until you're feeling yourself again.”
Buffy sighed, “No, no - I think I need to spend a little more time training…” She threw one more knife, but it fell far short of the target. “Are you getting the big picture here? I have no strength. No coordination. I throw knives like... like…”
Giles made a face, “A girl?”
She looked at him, her face a mask of fear and vulnerability. “Like I'm not the Slayer.”
They stood speechless for a moment. Giles tentatively put a hand on her shoulder, “Buffy, I assure you, given time, we'll get to the bottom of whatever's causing this... anomaly.”
Buffy looked up at him with hope, “Promise me?”
Giles eyed her uncomfortably, but she's too upset to notice. “I give you my word.”
When Buffy arrived home, Joyce called her into the kitchen, “Buffy! Some presents arrived!”
Buffy skipped into the room, “Presents for me?” She smiled as she looked at a bunch of balloons. Attached to the string was an envelope containing tickets and a note reading that her father was unable to escort her to the show.
After Buffy opened it Joyce explained, “His projections are down this quarter and he really needs to work.” Buffy’s disappointment was evident. “I’ll take you, if you’d like.”
Buffy sighed. “No thanks, Mom.”
“Well, then this should cheer you up,” Joyce lifted two boxes onto the counter. “These arrived today, as well.”
Buffy smiled and opened the first one. Eighteen perfect pink sweetheart roses and a card that read:
Happy Birthday, Buffy. Sorry I have to miss it. Love Always, Dean.
Joyce took the flowers and began to put them in a vase, while Buffy opened the other box. Inside were two more boxes. In the first, was a silver knife with intricate cravings on the handle. In the other, was a green skating outfit, short skirt and all.
Buffy called Dean, “Thank you. Everything is so beautiful. I love the flowers and the outfit.”
Dean let out a breath, “You really like it?”
Buffy smiled, hearing the relief in his voice, “Of course I do. It's sweet and thoughtful and... pretty.”
“Did you like the knife?” Dean asked. “I know it’s no rocket launcher, but..”
Buffy fidgeted with the knife, “Yeah, uh, it's just suddenly there's this chance that my calling's a wrong number, and... it's just freaking me out a little.”
Dean felt her anxiety, “Wrong number? Like maybe you’re not a slayer?”
“Dean, what if I have lost my power?”
Dean took a deep breath, “You’ll be fine. You lived a long time without it. You can do it again.”
Buffy was surprised by his calmness, “I guess. But what if I can't? I've seen too much. I know what goes bump in the night. Not being able to fight it... What if I just hide under my bed, all scared and helpless? Or what if I just become pathetic? Hanging out at the old Slayer's home, talking people's ears off about my glory days, showing them Mr. Pointy, the stake I had bronzed.”
Dean chuckled, “Buffy, you could never be helpless or boring, not even if you tried.”
Buffy raised her eyebrows and got up. “Don't be so sure. Before I was the Slayer, I was... Well, I, I don't wanna say shallow, but... Let's say a certain person, who will remain nameless, we'll just call her Spordelia, looked like a classical philosopher next to me. Dean, if I'm not the Slayer, what do I do? What do I have to offer? Why would you like me?”
Dean was stunned into silence for a moment. “Buffy, I fell for you before I knew you were the slayer. You think I would just stop loving you if you weren’t the slayer for some reason?”
“No, I don’t know, maybe.” Buffy responded quietly.
“Sorry, babe, not gonna happen.” Dean answered back quickly and confidently. “You’re stuck with me. Mr. Giles will figure out what’s going on, don’t worry, maybe it’s like the flu.”
“Right, maybe,” Buffy felt relieved that Dean was so sure of them.
“I’m looking forward to seeing you in that skirt,” Dean added with a smile.
“Dean!” Buffy laughed, feeling much better.
Two days later, Buffy called Dean again. “You are not going to believe this. Remember the ‘flu’ I had?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it turns out it’s the Watcher council’s way of testing a Slayer! When and if a Slayer turns eighteen the council tests her by drugging her and making her weak. Can you believe that?”
“No, not really. Are you okay?” Dean barely got over her ‘if she turns eighteen’ statement.
“Okay?! No, I’m not okay! I was supposed to face this psycho, but he escaped and kidnapped my mom. My mom! I had to save her without any Slayer strength.”
“You did, though, right? Your mom…”
“Yeah, my mom is fine. I’m gonna be fine. Giles got fired though,” Buffy quieted.
“As long as, wait, what? Mr. Giles got fired?” Dean was blown away with this knowledge.
“Yeah, the council said he was too close to me,” Buffy sighed. “He told me about the test.” Her voice became quiet. “They fired him ‘cause he cares about me.” She heard Dean sigh. “I get a new watcher in a few days.”
“Sorry, babe.”
Buffy let loose a groan. “No, I’m not going to let this get to me. I mean from what Giles said, a lot of Slayers don’t even make it to eighteen, so I got that going for me, right?”
Buffy had repeated what Dean couldn’t stand hearing. He closed his eyes, the idea that Slayers die that young wasn’t something he could think about. “Right, sweetheart. Hey, I’m going to be able to hang in Sunnydale for a while.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, it seems that my dad has some business up in Minnesota that he doesn’t want us around for. So, he said that I could go see you as long as I take care of Sam.”
Buffy’s smile widened. “How soon will you get here?”
“I soon as I can.”
“Dad, before you go, can I ask you something?” Dean asked as he watched his dad finish packing.
“Sure, kid,” John closed his duffel and leaned against the counter to give Dean his full attention.
“When you were learning about slayers, did you find anything about, uh,” Dean suddenly became anxious, “life expectancy?”
John stared at his son for a moment. “Something happen to Buffy?”
“The watchers council gave some kind a test that zapped her strength, but she’s fine, she passed.”
John nodded, “Good.” He was clearly avoiding his son’s question.
“Dad, come on, how long do slayers live?” Dean had noticed how his dad was looking around attempting to change the topic. “Buffy said, uh, that eighteen, that some don’t make it to eighteen.”
John sighed, “Dean, some don’t, but she did, alright?” He could tell this did nothing to ease Dean’s worry. “Look Dean, you know how dangerous her job is.” Dean nodded. “Hey, at least Buffy had some Winchester training last summer, right?” he added with a slight smile. Dean nodded again. “Don’t worry, Dean. Buffy can handle herself.” John clapped him on his shoulder as he left the room.
Dean leaned his head against the wall, he knew his dad knew more than he was telling.
Later, Dean cornered Sam. “Hey, you think you can help me with something?”
Sam huffed, eye rolled, and flopped on the couch. “Sure, what do you want?’
“Can you look up stuff about slayers?”
“Why don’t you just ask Buffy?”
“’Cause I’m asking you,” Dean pushed Sam’s feet off the table. “Come on, Sam.”
Sam rolled his eyes, “Fine. What do you want?”
“How long do slayers live?”
Sam sat up. “What?”
Dean cleared his throat, but Sam could tell he was serious, “Sam, just, can you find it out for me or not?”
“Yeah, no problem, Dean. Just give me some time, okay?” Sam warily looked at Dean. “Is Buffy okay?”
“Sure, she’s fine,” Dean said with no confidence behind it at all. He sighed at Sam’s doubtful look. “The watchers gave her some test that took away her slayerness. When she was telling me about it, she kinda also told me that a lot of slayers don’t live passed eighteen. So, can you just look that up for me?” Dean could feel a lump forming in his throat.
Sam did his best to smile reassuringly, “Yeah, Dean. No worries. I’m sure they only said that to scare her cuz of her birthday, ya know?”
“Yeah, that’s probably it.” Dean nodded.
Dean drove around Sunnydale making a circuit of the graveyards and parks. No sign of his slayer. He checked his watch, then figured she must be at the Bronze.
The place hadn’t changed, still played crappy music, Dean thought as he looked around after buying himself a beer. His quest ended when his eyes found the dance floor. Faith and Buffy were dancing together. He cocked his head to the side as he watched the slayers move to the music. He also noticed the crowd of guys similarly mesmerized by the rhythmic motions of the slayers.
Faith had seen Dean and decided to up the game. She grasped Buffy’s hand and raised their joined hands over their heads, moving closer to Buffy while swaying her hips. The group of guys that had been watching moved closer and Dean felt his possessive streak begin to surface. Faith leaned into Buffy and whispered in her ear.
Buffy grinned and slowly turned to find Dean leaning against the wall, watching her. She pushed her way through the throng of admirers and made her way to him. Jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist, she kissed him deeply. “You came,” Buffy said breathily when she pulled back from their kiss.
“Not yet,” Dean quipped as he kissed her again.
Her brows knit in confusion, “Huh?”
Dean chuckled, “Nothing, babe. Miss me?”
“Mm-hmm,” She answered into another searing kiss while her legs held him tighter. “Wanna get outta here?” Buffy whispered into his ear before she dragged her mouth lower, gently kissing and nibbling his neck,
“God, yes.” Dean’s reply made Buffy climb off him, but she held on tightly to his hand as she led him out the back of the club.
Once in the alley, Dean pulled her to him and pressed her into the wall. As their mouths met, his hands went to her hips lifting her so that she could wrap her legs around him again. As she ground against him, Buffy could feel how much Dean had missed her. Dean rocked his hips forward, making Buffy moan. Dean’s moved his attention to her neck, sucking at it and kissing it.
“Car,” Buffy barely managed to breath. “Where’s your car?” She moved her hips again, causing Dean to groan against her neck.
Dean relinquished his attack on her neck, “Good idea.” He set her down and he turned her in the direction of the Impala.
“Ah, yes, there you are Buffy,” Wesley nearly crashed into the couple. “You're certainly giving me a run for my money.” He looked Dean over with disapproval. “Hm, yes, well, Buffy, I need to speak with you it’s of utter importance.”
Dean returned Wesley’s once over. “New watcher?”
“New watcher,” Buffy said with a nod.
Wesley was momentarily stunned that Buffy’s ‘date’ had referred to him as a watcher. “I think we ought to establish that if you're going to go out, you leave me a number where I can contact you.”
“Yeah, I’ll be sure to get right on that,” Buffy kept her arm securely around Dean, “What’s the what?”
Wesley frowned not sure he comprehended the slayer’s slang and disliking the ‘date’ listening to their conversation. “Buffy this is a ‘business’ discussion. Your friend….”
“This is Dean.”
“Yes, well, still, it would be best if…” Wesley began.
“Dean Winchester.” Buffy clarified.
“Hmpf,” the watcher looked Dean over again. “Yes, of course, I read about you in Giles’s diary.”
“You read another guy’s diary? Dude, that is messed up.” Dean looked disgusted.
“Well, on to the business at hand. El Eliminati, the Fifteenth Century duelist cult, deadly in their day, became the acolytes of a demon called Balthazar, who brought them to the New World, specifically here. Balthazar had an amulet purported to give him strength. It was taken by a wealthy landowner named... I don't want to bore you with the details.”
“A little bit late,” Buffy muttered.
Wesley straightened, “Yes, well, Buffy, you will go to the Gleaves family crypt tonight and fetch the amulet and then we’ll go to where Balthazar is hiding and do away with him.”
Buffy’s eyes widened. “I will?”
“Are you not used to being given orders?” Wesley asked, ignoring how Dean was stifling a laugh.
“Whenever Giles sends me on a mission, he always says 'please'. And afterwards I get a cookie,” she grinned at Wesley. Dean laughed in earnest.
“I don't feel we're getting off on quite the right foot,” Wesley continued. “This is an urgent matter.”
Buffy rolled her eyes. “Faith is in there. Why don’t you go get her and the three of us will handle the amulet and Balthazar.”
Wesley stammered for a moment, “Yes, uh, ah, it’s really more of a slayer duty than a watcher duty.”
Buffy rolled her eyes, “I meant Faith,” she pointed to the Bronze, “me,” she pointed to herself, “and Dean.”
“Oh, right,” Wesley nodded then turned on his heel. “I’ll be right back.”
Once Wesley left Dean leaned against the wall and pulled Buffy to stand between his legs. “This is not how I wanted to spend my night.”
Buffy tilted her head, “Welcome to dating on the hell mouth.” She leaned into Dean, kissing him until they were interrupted by Wesley’s throat clearing and Faith’s wolf whistle.
“Right,” Dean ran a hand over his hair. “Come on, let’s get started. Which cemetery Brit?” He held Buffy’s hand as they led the way to the Impala.
“Sunnydale,” Wesley answered.
“And it’s a crypt, not a grave?” Dean confirmed.
“Yes.”
“Cool,” Dean held the passenger doors open for Buffy and Faith. “Are you coming with or just gonna give us the address to the warehouse?”
Wesley dug in his pocket, pulled out a slip of paper and handed it to Dean. “Here it is, it’s all on there.” Dean took the paper with a small shake of his head.
Arriving at the Gleaves family crypt, Dean grinned, “Can of corn.” Buffy was confused at his statement. “Easy,” he restated as he pulled out his lock picks.
Buffy grabbed the lock and pulled it off, breaking the metal hasp. “Easier.” Dean nodded impressed.
They each took turns lifting the lids on the coffins the crypt contained until Faith held up an amulet, “Yahtzee!” Faith grinned at them, then put the amulet in her pocket.
Faith, Dean, and Buffy drove to the packing warehouse. They peered through a crack in the door to see Balthazar surrounded by the Eliminati.
“Okay, we got ten, maybe twelve bad guys and one big demon in desperate need of a Stairmaster,” Dean said in a hushed voice.
“I say we take 'em all, hard and fast and now,” Faith suggested with a gleam in her eye.
Buffy evaluated the situation. “We need a little more firepower than none. We should head back to the library.”
Faith nodded her agreement, “Well, I guess Jacuzzi Boy isn't going anywhere. I just... wish we had…”
“Ladies, I believe I have just what you’re looking for.” Dean lead them back to the Impala. Popping the trunk, he lifted the false bottom and watched their eyes light like kids in a candy store.
Before they get back to the warehouse, they are met in the alley by several Eliminati.
“We have company,” Faith smirked and charged at the closest vampire. Faith threw her vampire up against a wall, and he collapsed to the ground. She did a half-spinning hook kick to another Eliminatus behind her, and he fell dazed onto a raised area. Another vampire jumped up onto it and leapt at Dean. He sidestepped him and shoved him down over the other one. Buffy did a back elbow jab at a vampire's face, causing him to step backwards and trip over a fallen vampire.
“I got this,” Faith yelled to Dean and Buffy. “You guys get the fattie.” Another vamp jumped into the fray and tried to punch her, but she blocked him, grabbed onto his arm and threw him up against the brick wall.
As Buffy and Dean stole into the warehouse, Angel arrived in the alley. Seeing Faith battling with the Eliminatus, he decided he better help. Faith did a half spinning, jumping out-to-in crescent kick to the head of one of them. Then she high blocked a punch from one behind her.
Angel punched one in the head, but he comes back with a punch to Angel’s gut and shoved Angel hard against a concrete wall. Faith saw his predicament and threw her stake into the vampire's back.
Buffy and Dean hid behind some crates as they survey the layout of the warehouse. Dean whispered and pointed to the far side, “They got Giles.” Buffy's face instantly washed over with worry.
Balthazar gurgled in his tub, “Hmm... A trade. Intriguing. No. Wait. Boring. Pull off his kneecaps!”
Two of the vampires grab Wesley. “NOOO! No, no, no! The Slayer has the amulet. I can tell you everything,” Wesley confessed.
“Quiet, you twerp! They'll kill us both,” Giles hissed under his breath. “Look, um, tell you what. Let Captain Courageous here go, and I'll tell you what you need to know. How's that deal?”
Seething with anger Balthazar yelled, “THERE IS ONE DEAL! YOU WILL DIE QUICKLY, OR YOU WILL DIE SLOWLY! THE MAN WHO HAS MY AMULET! WHAT IS HIS NAME?!”
“Her name is Buffy,” Buffy smirked and grabbed the two Eliminati holding Giles and Wesley, pulling them away and slamming one of them into a wall, the other into some metal shelves. Another one moved to take their place holding the Watchers, but Giles head butted him, and he fell.
Dean jumped in now, too, coming from the other direction, backhand punched one vampire and punched another in the face. The first one raised his sword and tried to attack. But, Dean blocked him and grabbed his arm. kneed him in the gut, making him drop his sword.
Giles watched Buffy catch the sword, and turned his tied hands toward her. She swung the sword in a high arc and brought it down on the ropes binding his wrists, slicing them cleanly. The pieces fall to the floor as Giles grabbed Wesley and pushed him out of harm's way.
Buffy swung the sword back at the Eliminatus, but he caught her hand and brought it down against the edge of Balthazar's pool, forcing her to drop the sword. He does a backhand swing at Buffy's face, making her trip forward, but she returns with a back kick at him.
Balthazar flailed his arms in a tantrum. “ Unacceptable!”
Dean avoided a swing from an Eliminatus and then did a right hook to his face and punched him hard in the gut. He spun around and backhand punched the one behind him, and blocked a return swing.
In the alley, another Eliminatus landed in front of Angel and Faith. It thrust at Faith with his short sword. She reacted instantly, catching his arm and shoving him into a crate, then pulling him off and swinging him backward onto a pile of several chords of wood. Angel stepped right in and staked him. He crumbled to ash. Angel and Faith continued along the alley at a brisk pace, hoping to help the others inside of the warehouse.
At the end of the building, an arm reached out and grabbed Angel by the shoulder. Instantly, he grabbed the man and threw him against a dumpster. Faith jumped right in to stake him. He slumped down to the ground, hurt by the impact against the heavy steel container. It's Allan, the mayor’s right hand man. But, Faith, too caught up in fighting, didn't realize he's human.
Angel’s eyes were saucers, “FAITH, NO!”
Faith swung down with her stake and plunged it into Allan's heart, then pulled it out. Allan grabbed his chest in pain and surprise as his blood poured out freely, pumped out by his now punctured, beating heart. Faith backed away as Angel quickly got down beside him to try to help him.
Allan pulled his hands away and looked down at them covered in his own blood, shaking hard as he went into shock. Angel looked at the wound and saw its severity. Angel spoke quietly, “Don't move!”
“I didn't... I didn't know. I didn't know.” Faith spoke in shock, paralyzed with fear.
Allan shook even harder as the blood loss increases. He looked up at Angel. “Don't move, i-it's okay…” Angel said while he tried to apply pressure to the wound, but the blood just kept coming. “ I-I need, I need something to stop the…” Allan began to convulse. His eyes went wide with the fear of death as blood begins to trickle from the corner of his mouth. He tried to say something, but couldn’t get the words out. Angel watched in despair, unable to help. Allan’s body relaxed against the dumpster, finally dead. His eyes remained wide open, staring up into nothing. Faith stared back at him in open- mouthed horror.
In the warehouse, Balthazar had had enough and held out his arms. The air between Dean and Balthazar became disturbed, and Dean was being sucked back toward the demon. Dean landed on his back on the edge of the pool. Balthazar seized Dean’s head in both hands. Dean struggled to get away, but the grip was extremely tight.
Buffy saw what's happening and looked for a way to help. She spied an electrical cable hanging down from a lamp directly above Balthazar. By grabbing it and yanking hard, the lamp fell from the roof with sparks flying right into the pool. Balthazar immediately let go of Dean and thrashed about in agony as he is electrocuted.
Giles and Wesley stared in amazement. Soon, Balthazar seemed dead and the circuit breakers shut off the power. Buffy rushed over to help Dean. He's shaken but fine. She looked at Balthazar and was startled when his eyes whipped open and he took a sudden breath. Balthazar wheezed, “Slayer! You think you've won. When he rises... you'll wish I'd killed you all.”
“Well, Buffy, I must say, well done,” Wesley quietly admitted when they reentered the alley, earning him a smirk in return.
Giles cleared his throat, “Yes, Buffy. You really handled that well.” He looked around the quiet alley. “I thought Faith was with you.”
“She was,” Buffy answered looking around. It wasn’t like Faith to leave a fight.
Dean looked around also. “Maybe she went back to the car,” he shrugged when he didn’t see her anywhere.
“Then she probably hotwired it,” Buffy teased.
“What?!” Dean grabbed her hand, dragging her in the direction of the car.
“Yes, well, see you later,” Wesley called after them. Giles shook his head and walked off in the opposite direction, with Wesley following after him.
As they got to the corner, Dean and Buffy crashed into Angel, whose hands were covered in Allan’s blood.
“Angel, what happened?” Buffy gasped.
Dean grabbed Angel by the his jacket front and shoved him into the wall. “What did you do?!”
“I didn’t…” Angel began, without fighting back. “Faith…” He looked in the direction of Allan and Buffy followed his eyes.
“Dean,” Buffy put her hand on his shoulder, pulling him off Angel and directing him towards the scene of Faith and Allan.
Faith was crouching over Allan’s body, still in shock. “It happened so fast, she didn’t know,” Angel said quietly. “I couldn’t stop the blood.”
Dean, Buffy and Angel walked over to her. “Faith,” Buffy kept her voice quiet.
Faith looked up at her, panic in her eyes, “We gotta go!”
“Faith, wait,” Dean began, but Faith took off running down the alley. Buffy and Dean exchanged looks then run after her, leaving Angel alone with Allan in the alley.
Dean caught up with Faith, stopping her by nearly tackling her. “Faith, calm down. Let me take you home.” Faith nodded, but still seemed out of if.
Dean drove to Buffy’s house. “I’ll be by in the morning,” he said with a quick kiss.
“Sorry the night wasn’t what you planned,” Buffy said with a concerned look at the car.
“Never boring, anyway. I’ll take care of her, don’t worry,” Dean kissed her again.
In Faith’s room, Faith was scrubbing her shirt. Dean watched her, unsure of where to begin. “How are ya doin'?”
Faith didn’t look up from her shirt. “I'm alright. You know me.”
“Faith, we need to talk about what we're gonna do,” Dean said as he watched her obsess over a spot that no longer existed.
“There's nothing to talk about. I was doing my job.”
“Being a Slayer is not the same as being a killer,” Dean began but instantly regretted his choice in words. “Slayers are on the front lines of this battle, I’m sure this kinda thing has happened before. Let’s call Mr. Giles or that Wesley dude. They’ll know what to do.”
Faith looked at him but said nothing for a moment. “Dean, I appreciate the concern. I do, but this is the last time we're gonna have this conversation, and we're not even having it now, you understand me?” Dean gave her a confused look. “I’m gonna get rid of the body.”
Dean was in shock. “Getting rid of the evidence doesn't make the problem go away.”
Faith was calm, “It does for me.”
Dean’s mouth fell with concern, “Faith, you don't get it. You killed a man.”
Faith glared at him, “No, you don't get it. I don't care!”
Dean got up to leave knowing he should do something but not sure of what would be best.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Dean,” Faith warned with an icy glint in her eyes.
Dean shook his head and left with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Chapter 28