FIC: Whispers in the Darkness (BtVS/SN) FR-18
Summary: Dawn is alone, on the run, and unable to count on help from the Scoobies when she decides she can't run away anymore. Sometimes you just have to make a stand no matter what the cost. Dark fic. Written for avamclean for the TtH Holiday Fic-A-Thon.
Cross posted to Twisting the Hellmouth, Supernaturally Twisted, spn_twisted, spn_btvs, sn_crossovers & a few other places. And why aren't you posting your SN crossovers to Supernaturally Twisted?
Title: Whispers in the Darkness
Author: Saturn
Rating: FR15
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, Buffy or Stargate. No money being made.
Setting: Post Season 7 Buffy, Sometime before the Season 2 finale for Supernatural.
Author's note: Sorry it's so late Ava. But what was planned as a 2000 word fic just wouldn't end and I wanted to make sure I did the best job I could for you. What you get is a 5800 word monster. :)
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For: Ava
THREE THINGS WANT TO READ:
character development, plot, snow
CATEGORIES
Anita Blake; Highlander; Smallville; Stargate SG1/SGA; Supernatural; X-Men
CHARACTERS
Buffy; Cordelia; Dawn; Drusilla; Faith; Fred/Illyria; Oz; Tara;
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Dawn thanked the woman behind the counter as she grabbed her Mocha Valencia. Hot coffee firmly in hand she pushed her way through the crowd and out the Starbucks door. She held the coffee close and sipped it, relishing the feeling of warmth that spread through her body as she walked down the cold sidewalk. She smiled. Nothing like a cold January night in Colorado Springs to make you appreciate the climate of sunny California. Before she could reflect on the temperature any more a familiar voice came from behind her.
"If you hear anything, call me," the voice said.
Dawn didn't let the shock she felt at the sound of the voice stop her. All feelings of warmth fled her body as she lowered her head and let her shoulder length blond hair fall forward hiding her face. If she hadn't cut and dyed her hair months ago he would have seen her as she walked by him. No amount of coffee would make her warm now. Making it to the end of the block Dawn turned the corner. A quick peek showed someone getting into an unmarked beat up black van and another man going back into the cafe that was two doors down from the Starbucks. Maybe it was just a coincidence she thought. It could have been my imagination. And she hadn't got a clear look at the guy speaking but that voice was almost unmistakable. Dawn finished sipping her coffee while she quickly walked the remaining two blocks to her apartment. Once she made it to her street she looked around carefully before putting her key into the door and quickly entering her home. She was probably just being paranoid but paranoids had enemies too.
She tossed the empty cup into the trash and began thinking. The odds of her being found out were pretty slim. She looked different and she wasn't going by Dawn Summers. Nobody would be looking for Casey Carlyle. All she had to do was lay low for a week or so and he'd probably move on. Dawn grabbed her cell phone and scrolled down until she got to 'Cass' and then hit the call button. The phone rang a few times before the voice mail picked up.
Dawn listened to the automated message. "You have reached the voice mail of," and then Cassie's voice, "Cassandra Frasier." Beep.
"Hey Cass, it's Casey. I'm not going to be able to make it tonight. I think I'm coming down with something so I'm going to stay home. You guys have fun without me," she said in the sickliest voice she could manage before hanging up.
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She'd called in sick to work and stayed home since that night. Luckily classes didn't start back up for a few more weeks and the lack of money wouldn't really hurt her. The job was just part of her cover anyway. She'd stayed home and kept her guard up but it had been a week since she'd almost been discovered and Dawn felt like the danger was past. If it was even real to begin with. She'd used her seclusion wisely though to finish translating the books on Ascension she'd acquired. Now it was time to go out and have some fun. The sound of a car horn brought Dawn out of her thoughts. The cab she'd called earlier was waiting out front. Dawn looked at herself in the mirror one last time. Black leather boots, tight black leather pants, low cut red top, blond hair pulled back into a short ponytail; somebody was going to get lucky tonight. She sprayed on some perfume, grabbed her keys and headed out the door. A short cab ride later and she found herself standing in front of The Underground. It was still early so she didn't have any problems getting in. Once inside she surveyed the scene. There was a good size crowd on the dance floor but not much dancing. On stage a band was setting up equipment which is what everybody seemed to be waiting for. Dawn made her way over to the bar and ordered a beer. She sat at the bar and sipped her beer, ignoring the people that came up to hit on her. Beer in hand she turned around and watched as the band seemed to have everything set up. A few minutes later the first sounds of instruments began, followed shortly by a hard fast beat that erupted from the speakers. The crowd cheered and the dancing began in earnest. As the tempo of the music increased so did the writhing of bodies on the dance floor. Dawn slowly made her way into the crowd and picked her first dance partner.
Dawn closed her eyes and lost herself in the feel of the music vibrating through her body. She wasn't even sure who she was dancing with anymore. It just felt good to let go. She'd been dancing most of the night and opened her eyes to look her current partner over. He'd do, she thought. "You know Barry, a friend of mine had a really useful philosophy about life," she spoke loudly to ensure her partner could hear her over the music. "Want. Take. Have. is what she called it. And I want you Barry."
"My name's not Barry."
Dawn leaned in close and trailed her right hand up his neck and slid her fingers into his hair. She quickly grasped it, pulling his head to the side exposing his neck. She trailed her tongue up his exposed neck before clamping down on his mouth with her smooth red lips and taking the kiss that she wanted. Dawn felt his erection pressing against her through his pants as she pulled her mouth away from his. She moved her mouth to his ear. "I don't care what your name is...Barry."
As the words left her mouth something caught Dawn's attention and her eyes focused on the short man sitting on the edge of the stage in a purple t-shirt that said Lavender Burrito. He was staring directly at Dawn as if trying to figure out a puzzle. She quickly let go of 'Barry' and stared back with wide eyes. 'It couldn't be!' she thought. But it was. It was the man that belonged to the voice she'd heard. Maybe he hadn't figured it out she thought as she turned and tried to melt back into the crowd.
"Hey! Where are you going?" 'Barry' said as he grabbed her shoulder. "What about want, take, have?"
Dawn shrugged his hand from her shoulder and quickly elbowed him in the face. "Beat it Barry. It's not gonna happen." She could hear the cries he made as she lost herself in the chaos of the crowd. She exited the club and hopped into the first open cab she saw. She quickly told him her address and he sped off. Once he dropped her off she ran to her door and after fiddling with her keys she got it open. She slammed it shut and began pacing across the living room. 'Crap,' she thought. It wouldn't be the first time she'd packed up and disappeared but she was so close this time. She'd been in Colorado Springs for almost two years now and she was certain that a few more months was all it would take. Every other time somebody had gotten this close she'd run. But not this time.
Taking out her cell phone she began scrolling down her contacts list. 'I'm going to need some help to get out of this one.' She stopped on the name Sam. She hoped Cassie wouldn't hate her for taking advantage of her relationship with Sam but in the long run it didn't matter. Her goal mattered. She hit the call button.
"Sam?"
"It's Casey. I'm a friend of Cassie's."
"She's fine. You know that thing that attacked Cassie and I last year?"
"I know she wasn't supposed to tell me the truth about it but I'm not stupid. So I made her give me your number just in case."
"I think another one of those things is after me. Maybe Cassie too."
"Thank God. I'll see you in two days then."
"I won't leave the house unless absolutely necessary."
Dawn finished listening to what Sam said and then flipped the phone shut. She was standing next to the front window of her living room. She slid the drape back and looked out the window of her apartment again. Through the frosted glass she watched the beat up van slowly pass by with it's windows down. "Great," she muttered. It was definitely the same van she'd seen the other time. And there aren't too many reasons to cruise around in the middle of winter with your windows rolled down. And as the saying went, 'Once is Happenstance. Twice is Coincidence. The third time it's Enemy action'.
Dawn let the drape fall back into place and walked into her bedroom. Dropping onto her knees she pulled a locked trunk from under her bed. Reaching into her shirt she pulled a chain with a key from between her breasts. She used the key to unlock the trunk and flipped the lid open. Inside were weapons of all types. Mostly edged weaponry but there was also a sawed-off shotgun as well as a few old books. Dawn picked one the books up and flipped it open to a page she was very familiar with. Standing, she began walking around the apartment reading incantations from the book. Once she completed the circuit of her home for the third time she stopped. The hairs on the back of her arms stood up in response to the palpable power that was in the air. Dawn smiled. The only person powerful enough to get through these wards was Willow, but she wouldn't have to worry about that. She squatted down in front of the trunk again. It didn't take much time to make sure all the weapons in the trunk were battle ready.
Satisfied that everything was in order Dawn kicked her boots off and peeled the leather pants off. She tossed the red shirt in the corner and now completely nude walked into the bathroom. She turned the water on in the shower and once it was hot enough she stepped under the stream of water; letting the heat of the water wash away the chill of the freezing Colorado weather. Dawn took her time lathering her hair and body up before washing it all off. With the soap washed away she shut off the water and grabbed a towel. Using it she began drying herself off. She walked back into the bedroom as she toweled the last bit of water out of her hair. Tossing the towel back into the bathroom she stood there naked. 'Guns, knives, swords...nudity. It was like an Anita Blake novel come to life,' she thought as she smiled.
Dawn walked to the trunk and pulled out a silver dagger and the shotgun and set them on the table beside her bed. Now all I have to do is wait for the cavalry to arrive thought Dawn as she climbed into bed. She pulled the covers up and rolled onto her side. With knife and gun within easy reach she drifted off to sleep pondering if Barry would have been worth it.
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Dawn looked over at Andrew again. "Are you sure this is safe?"
"Absolutely. Planos is Greek for wandering. He's like the patron saint of wanderers. It'll be like a giant Godzilla-sized locater spell. We don't have the time to locate all the newly activated slayers individually. Willow had enough trouble locating the ones on the West Coast. We just summon Planos and ask him to help us locate the potentials all at once. This is out of one of the books that made it out on the bus. It's got to be from Giles' stash and I'm sure if it was 'evil' he wouldn't have left it." Andrew flipped the pages until he found the spell he was looking for. "This is it. I need you to sit across from me inside the circle I've drawn."
"Doesn't Planos also mean misleading? And doesn't Godzilla usually destroy Tokyo?" Dawn asked as she sat down across from Andrew.
"Trust me Dawn. This will be easy as cake. Two Level 20 Wizards like us shouldn't have a problem with a simple summoning. As long as we stay in the circle nothing can go wrong. Now I've set the ceremonial bowl in front of us. When I cut my finger and drip my blood into it you need to do the same to complete the summoning. Do you have your ceremonial dagger ready?"
"I'm ready."
With those words Andrew began reading from the book in front of him. As he read the room seemed to grow dimmer; as if they were in a fog. Suddenly Andrew stopped speaking and pricked his pointer finger. He looked at Dawn and watched as she did the same. They both moved their fingers over the bowl and began dripping blood into it. As soon as the first drops of blood landed it was like Dawn's ears popped. She suddenly noticed a lack of any sound. In front of them the shape of a man slowly started to appear. It was like a huge roiling shadow coalescing into an empty man-shaped hole surrounded by a brilliant white halo. Dawn turned to Andrew and watched his mouth move but no sounds seemed to be coming out. Was she deaf?
Suddenly she heard the sounds of whispers. They seemed to be coming from everywhere and she couldn't quite make out what they were saying. She looked around to try and pinpoint the source. They weren't coming from the shadow and they weren't coming from Andrew. The whispers suddenly formed a single voice that said, 'Look out' just in time for her to turn and see Andrew bringing his dagger down double-handed toward her. She fell backward to try and dodge the attack. The dagger missed her head but did slice down her arm as she flailed wildly trying to block it. Andrew continued his move forward and ended up on top of her. He tried to bring his knife down again but this time Dawn was prepared. She grabbed his wrists and pushed back. After a few minutes of struggling Dawn started to feel the pain of her sliced arm and began losing the battle. Andrew realized his advantage and smiled as the knife inched closer to Dawn's chest. Dawn looked around for anything she could use and spied the dagger she dropped in the melee. It was just in arm's reach. Hoping she wasn't about to make a mistake Dawn quickly let go with her wounded arm and snatched up the dagger. As fast as she could she stabbed it into Andrew's ribs. She immediately felt the pressure on her arm holding Andrew away lessen. Before he could regain his advantage, she continued stabbing until she was able to push his limp body off of her. She lay there panting, covered in blood, dagger still clutched tightly in her right hand. The whispers seemed to have stopped finally and the shadowed figure was gone as well.
The door to the room burst open and Willow rushed in. Her hair was jet black and her eyes were solid black orbs. "It looks like I shouldn't have counted on Andrew. I didn't want to have to do this Dawnie but it looks like I'm going to have to finish the job." Willow flicked her hand and Dawn was picked up from the ground and tossed into the concrete wall of the spell room.
The force of the hit knocked the wind out of Dawn. She lay gasping for air and forced out a strangled, "Why?"
Willow smirked as she walked closer. "Power. You have it and I want it. It's not like you were going to use it anyway. In fact once you're gone the Key spell will be broken and nobody will know you even existed." Stopping about three feet away Willow raised her hands in a lifting gesture which brought Dawn's limp body up into the air. She was floating about six inches above the ground in front of Willow.
"Please don't do this Willow!" Dawn screamed as tears began rolling down her face leaving slightly cleaner trails in the blood splattered all over it.
"It's not just me Dawn. You don't think I could have done something like this without Buffy's approval do you?" Willow stepped closer and used her thumb to wipe the tears from Dawn's cheeks. All she succeeded in doing was smearing the blood and tears together. As Willow finished wiping Dawn's face she clenched her fist and suddenly remembered the dagger clutched madly in her hand. When Willow started to step back Dawn slashed the dagger across her throat. Willow staggered back, clutching her throat with a look of total shock on her face. Blood poured down the front of her dress. Willow dropped to the ground and then collapsed into a lifeless pile. About the same time Dawn dropped to the ground as the holding spell died with Willow.
Dawn's eyes shot open and her heart hammered away in her chest. She hadn't had that nightmare in months. But it was always the same. She'd never forget it or forget what she'd had to do. Dawn lay there and let her mind and heart slow down to normal pace. Hugging her pillow a little tighter than normal she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.
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The next morning Dawn woke up with a definite clarity of purpose. She tossed the blankets off, got out of bed and headed for her dresser. The chill of the morning made the floors especially cold. 'Damn, I should have put some clothes on before bed,' she thought as she reached blindly into her underwear drawer and pulled the first pair of panties she laid hands on, which just happened to be her 'Tuesday' panties. 'Too bad it was Saturday.' She quickly put them on and grabbed a pair of jeans that were draped over the chair next to her dresser. She pulled them up and then grabbed a bra from her dresser drawer. She slipped into it and clipped it shut. Then she practically ran to the closet and yanked a red turtleneck sweater off the hanger and pulled it on. Going back to the dresser Dawn pulled a pair of thick socks from the top drawer. She sat down on the chair and used them to cover her cold feet.
Dawn got up, grabbed her cell phone and called Sam again. After a few rings she connected.
"How long till you're here?"
"You must have made pretty good time. Good. Meet me at the Garden of the Gods around six o'clock. I'll be where Juniper Way Loop and Garden Road meet."
Dawn waited until Sam was done yelling. "Look, I'll explain everything later. Just so you know this isn't the first time I've dealt with something like this. Just make sure you're there and ready for action." Dawn hung up the phone and slipped it into a pocket. She walked back to her closet and grabbed a pair of hiking boots. She took them over to her bed, sat down and put them on.
'Now to go be bait.' Dawn looked at the sawed-off shotgun and silver dagger on the bedside table. "Planos," she called out and as she did her eyes flashed for the briefest second. "Commodo rector mihi. Beatus illa arma. Servo mihi ex vulnero," she said as she bowed her head over the weapons. She picked them up and carried them to the living room where she set them down long enough to grab her coat from the living room closet. Along with her coat she grabbed a sheath for the dagger that would fit on her forearm. The coat she put on was trench coat length but was a lot thicker than normal to keep out the cold. It also had a long pocket sewn into the inside that conveniently fit Dawn's sawed-off shotgun. 'Those Highlander guys always make it look so easy,' Dawn thought as she checked to make sure the hand grip was positioned so she could grab it with her hand in her pocket.
Looking around at the sparse items in her apartment Dawn sighed. She went back to the closet and grabbed her backpack. Walking around the apartment she gathered the few items she couldn't lose just in case she wasn't able to come back here. In went a spare set of clothes, the few magic books she possessed, a set of small knives, all the loose cash she had saved up and a picture of her and Mom. The other side of the picture was cut off so it was just Dawn and Joyce. She pulled the pack onto her shoulders and opened the front door. As soon as the door opened Dawn's eyes had to squint a little bit at the bright light reflecting off all the snow that was covering everything. 'Oh lucky day. It's snowing.' And apparently it had been coming down all night. She walked out the door and shut it behind her. Deciding that walking wasn't going to cut it Dawn flipped her cell phone open and dialed the number to the cab company she usually used. She arranged for a pickup at the Starbucks that was a few blocks from her house. 'Might as well enjoy one last Mocha Valencia before the shit hits the fan.'
Dawn walked the two blocks quickly and pushed through the door of the Starbucks. She ordered her Mocha Valencia. Sipping the orange-flavored coffee she went back outside and sat at one of the many deserted outside tables. Finally the cab showed up and she got in. "I need to go to the Budget Rent A Car place over in Roswell."
The cab driver turned the meter on. "The one on Filmore Street?"
"Yes." Dawn pulled the door shut and the cab pulled off. The driver tried to talk to her for most of the twenty minute ride but seemed to get the hint when she answered every question with one word answers. Once there she got out, paid the driver and walked into the lobby of the car rental place. After all the necessary paperwork Dawn found herself sitting in the driver seat of a Ford Escape. She put the SUV into gear and pulled onto the road, being careful of the limited visibility caused by the falling snow. Another thirty minute drive put Dawn in front of The Underground. She parked the truck in front of it and got out. The front door was locked so Dawn walked around to the side alley and found a beer truck parked there. A couple of guys in blue jumpsuits were rolling case after case of beer into the club. Dawn followed them in and looked around until she found the manager's office. As soon as Dawn walked in he looked up at her.
"Can I help you?" He looked to be in his late thirties and was in decent shape except for the beginnings of a paunch.
"I need to find out how to get in touch with the band that was here Friday night."
"I'm afraid I can't just give out information like that without a really good reason," the bar manager said as he leaned back to look at Dawn.
"I've got two words for you. Narro Verum." The words seemed to reverberate around the room for a second before Dawn continued. "I'll ask again. How do I get in touch with the band that was here last night?"
The club manager was much more cooperative this time to his own surprise. "Lavender Burrito was the band that played here last night. The lead singer is Alison Blaire. This is the contact number I have for her." The manager rattled off a telephone number.
Dawn committed the number to memory. "Thanks for your time." She left the confused looking manager and as she passed out of his office she said, "Nullus Memoria." As she walked through the club back into the alley she got out her cell phone and dialed the number.
It rang several times before a woman picked up. "Hello?"
"I need to speak to Oz."
The woman sounded a little groggy. "My roadie? He's not here. Who is this?"
At least that confirmed she wasn't just paranoid. "It's Dawn Summers. Tell him if he wants to finish this he should meet me at the Garden of the Gods at six thirty tonight. He'll know how to use his talents to find me. I'll be waiting." Before the woman could respond Dawn hung up the phone. By the time she hung up the phone she was at her SUV. She opened the door and climbed in. The engine roared to life as she put the key in and turned it. Looking at the clock in the dashboard Dawn realized she still had a few hours to kill so she drove back to her apartment. Since she was pretty sure this would be the last time she saw it, she loaded up some more stuff into the back of the truck. It still took very little time since she mainly just took the clothes and the remainder of the weapons. By the time she was done it was nearing sunset which meant she had roughly an hour before her meeting with Oz. She decided to go ahead and head up the Garden and wait there, especially with the increased snowfall that was still coming down. Although it shouldn't be too much of a problem since the snow never lasted very long around here according to the locals.
Twenty minutes later Dawn found herself parked on the side of the road at the appointed spot without too much difficulty. Dawn decided to do a quick patrol of the area so she'd be more familiar with the area while a little light could still be had from the setting sun. The snow was really falling now too and was definitely affecting visibility. Dawn trudged on making a rough circuit of the area surrounding her chosen meeting place. She found a large rock that provided some nice cover as well as a good view of her truck and settled down to wait.
After about thirty minutes of sitting in the cold Dawn was about to head back to the truck and wait in the warmth. The snowfall seemed to be getting heavier and the full moon that was rising only provided so much light. As she stood up to make her way back she saw headlights in the distance bouncing up the road toward her. She immediately settled back down to watch. The lights slowly resolved themselves into the headlights of the same beat up black van she'd seen in town. It slowed down as it pulled off to the side or the road and stopped about fifteen feet behind Dawn's SUV. The door opened and a short figure emerged. Presumably Oz. Dawn watched the figure walk up to her truck and peer into it as it circled the vehicle.
Luckily the snowfall had covered her tracks so Oz would only have one choice if he wanted to find her. 'It was definitely the moon for it,' Dawn thought as she glanced up at the full moon. Dawn watched as Oz walked back to the van and got into the back. A short time later the doors of the van burst open and an animalistic form jumped out. The werewolf began sniffing the air, pacing as if trying to pick up a trail. It didn't take long before it found Dawn's scent and it began moving off the road toward her hiding spot. Dawn forgot about the cold and the discomfort as her adrenaline started pumping. 'Nothing like having a werewolf hunting you to spice things up.' She quickly reached her hand into her pocket and grasped the shotgun. She slowly pulled it out and held it in front of her. 'I don't want that to get caught up in my coat at the wrong time.' Of course Dawn had made sure that her path was a windy one and that if followed wouldn't lead someone directly to her.
Dawn watched the werewolf move away from her as it tracked her. It quickly disappeared into the snowy night. 'This was the stupidest plan ever. What was I thinking?' Dawn slowly walked toward her truck keeping an eye on where the wolf should come from as well as where it had just gone. Of course what she wasn't expecting was the snarl as the werewolf leaped over the van and landed about ten feet away. For some reason it just stood there with its head cocked. Dawn quickly raised the shotgun and pulled the trigger. The first barrel shredded one of its arms but the second just clicked. A dud. The monster screamed in pain and Dawn dropped the shotgun and backpedalled as fast she could. She turned and began running back toward the rock. At least that way she could see her death coming with her back protected. Dawn looked back as she ran and watched as the werewolf stopped howling in pain and began coming after her. Its injured arm and shoulder seemed to be slowing it down just enough that Dawn made the rock. With her back to the giant boulder she pulled the silver dagger from it's sheath and waited. And watched the beast as it closed in on her. The next thing she heard was a loud crack followed by the werewolf tripping as if something hit it from the side. It quickly stood up but before it could continue there were two more loud cracks and the wolf was knocked down again. This time it stayed down. Dawn looked on in shock and then looked to the origin of the noise. A black Impala was sitting in the middle of the road with a rifle barrel sticking out of the driver side window. Another figure was sitting on the passenger door, hanging out, with a rifle on the roof of the car. Dawn wasn't sure if the shots were silver so she wasted no time before crawling toward it and plunging the silver dagger into its heart.
The wolf changed back into human form. The head turned to Dawn and gasped out, "Why? Was...just trying...find..." was all that Oz said before the light seemed to fade from his eyes.
Dawn felt a sharp pain in her head like needles in the back of her eyes. She screamed in pain and closed her eyes. When she opened them she saw the same man-shaped roiling black cloud that she'd seen when Andrew tried to kill her. The whispers were surrounding her again as well. This time the whispers coalesced into laughter. Dawn flashed back to the night everything started. This time she was watching the nightmare instead of living it.
Andrew watched in horror as the black cloud they'd summoned seemed to flood into Dawn's eyes. When the cloud was gone Dawn's limp body slumped to the floor. Andrew leaned forward, screaming her name and shaking her. Suddenly Dawn's eyes opened. They were pools of inky blackness. Dawn watched in horror as she started screaming and grabbed the dagger and began stabbing Andrew until he stopped moving. Her body collapsed back onto the floor and it seemed she'd passed out again until the door to the room opened and Willow ran in.
"Oh Goddess!" she screamed as she ran to Dawn's side. She knelt next to Dawn and lifted her head into her lap. Dawn's eyes opened to their normal blue this time. Before Willow had a chance to react Dawn brought the dagger up and plunged it into Willow's neck.
Dawn began crying as the pain behind her eyes continued to build. "What have I done?" she whispered as tears coated her face.
This time Dawn was watching the scene from earlier.
Oz's van pulled up behind her SUV and out he stepped. He stood waiting for a good amount of time before Dawn walked carefully back toward the vehicles like she couldn't see him. Once she was visible Oz walked over toward her. "Everything okay Dawn?"
Suddenly Dawn's eyes widened and she brought up the shotgun she'd been holding and opened fire on Oz. He screamed in pain and his transformation began as Dawn took off running the other way. Once it was complete the beast seemed to be in control and it limped off after Dawn.
"Oh my god!" she screamed as she collapsed into the snow next to Oz's corpse, tears starting to freeze on her face. The pain reached a crescendo and a thick black cloud seemed to pour from her eyes. It swirled with whispered laughter above her before it shot up into the night sky. The pain in her head was suddenly gone. Dawn laid on the ground and shook with sobs as she continued crying over what she had done. Through her tears Dawn could see Sam and Dean running toward her. Sam slid to the ground next to Dawn and began checking her for wounds. Dean made sure the werewolf was dead.
"Casey! Are you okay?" Sam asked as he checked her for bite marks. "Is Cassie here too?"
Dawn continued sobbing hysterically and wouldn't meet Sam's eyes.
Dean stood next to Oz's body. "It's dead."
"Where's Cassie? Is she okay?" asked Sam with more urgency.
Still crying Dawn answered him between sobs this time. "She's fine. She's at home."
Sam looked relieved as he picked her limp body up. "Let's get you out of here."
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Dawn watched the stripes on the road pass by endlessly. She had her head leaning against the window of the Impala. She hadn't said much of anything since that night. All she knew was that they'd moved her small amount of stuff into the the Impala, returned the SUV to the rental place and were now going to see somebody named Bobby.
"Don't worry Casey. You did good out there. We'll get this thing sorted out," Dean said as he glanced back at Dawn's motionless form.
THE END
Cross posted to Twisting the Hellmouth, Supernaturally Twisted, spn_twisted, spn_btvs, sn_crossovers & a few other places. And why aren't you posting your SN crossovers to Supernaturally Twisted?
Title: Whispers in the Darkness
Author: Saturn
Rating: FR15
Disclaimer: I don't own Supernatural, Buffy or Stargate. No money being made.
Setting: Post Season 7 Buffy, Sometime before the Season 2 finale for Supernatural.
Author's note: Sorry it's so late Ava. But what was planned as a 2000 word fic just wouldn't end and I wanted to make sure I did the best job I could for you. What you get is a 5800 word monster. :)
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For: Ava
THREE THINGS WANT TO READ:
character development, plot, snow
CATEGORIES
Anita Blake; Highlander; Smallville; Stargate SG1/SGA; Supernatural; X-Men
CHARACTERS
Buffy; Cordelia; Dawn; Drusilla; Faith; Fred/Illyria; Oz; Tara;
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Dawn thanked the woman behind the counter as she grabbed her Mocha Valencia. Hot coffee firmly in hand she pushed her way through the crowd and out the Starbucks door. She held the coffee close and sipped it, relishing the feeling of warmth that spread through her body as she walked down the cold sidewalk. She smiled. Nothing like a cold January night in Colorado Springs to make you appreciate the climate of sunny California. Before she could reflect on the temperature any more a familiar voice came from behind her.
"If you hear anything, call me," the voice said.
Dawn didn't let the shock she felt at the sound of the voice stop her. All feelings of warmth fled her body as she lowered her head and let her shoulder length blond hair fall forward hiding her face. If she hadn't cut and dyed her hair months ago he would have seen her as she walked by him. No amount of coffee would make her warm now. Making it to the end of the block Dawn turned the corner. A quick peek showed someone getting into an unmarked beat up black van and another man going back into the cafe that was two doors down from the Starbucks. Maybe it was just a coincidence she thought. It could have been my imagination. And she hadn't got a clear look at the guy speaking but that voice was almost unmistakable. Dawn finished sipping her coffee while she quickly walked the remaining two blocks to her apartment. Once she made it to her street she looked around carefully before putting her key into the door and quickly entering her home. She was probably just being paranoid but paranoids had enemies too.
She tossed the empty cup into the trash and began thinking. The odds of her being found out were pretty slim. She looked different and she wasn't going by Dawn Summers. Nobody would be looking for Casey Carlyle. All she had to do was lay low for a week or so and he'd probably move on. Dawn grabbed her cell phone and scrolled down until she got to 'Cass' and then hit the call button. The phone rang a few times before the voice mail picked up.
Dawn listened to the automated message. "You have reached the voice mail of," and then Cassie's voice, "Cassandra Frasier." Beep.
"Hey Cass, it's Casey. I'm not going to be able to make it tonight. I think I'm coming down with something so I'm going to stay home. You guys have fun without me," she said in the sickliest voice she could manage before hanging up.
****************
She'd called in sick to work and stayed home since that night. Luckily classes didn't start back up for a few more weeks and the lack of money wouldn't really hurt her. The job was just part of her cover anyway. She'd stayed home and kept her guard up but it had been a week since she'd almost been discovered and Dawn felt like the danger was past. If it was even real to begin with. She'd used her seclusion wisely though to finish translating the books on Ascension she'd acquired. Now it was time to go out and have some fun. The sound of a car horn brought Dawn out of her thoughts. The cab she'd called earlier was waiting out front. Dawn looked at herself in the mirror one last time. Black leather boots, tight black leather pants, low cut red top, blond hair pulled back into a short ponytail; somebody was going to get lucky tonight. She sprayed on some perfume, grabbed her keys and headed out the door. A short cab ride later and she found herself standing in front of The Underground. It was still early so she didn't have any problems getting in. Once inside she surveyed the scene. There was a good size crowd on the dance floor but not much dancing. On stage a band was setting up equipment which is what everybody seemed to be waiting for. Dawn made her way over to the bar and ordered a beer. She sat at the bar and sipped her beer, ignoring the people that came up to hit on her. Beer in hand she turned around and watched as the band seemed to have everything set up. A few minutes later the first sounds of instruments began, followed shortly by a hard fast beat that erupted from the speakers. The crowd cheered and the dancing began in earnest. As the tempo of the music increased so did the writhing of bodies on the dance floor. Dawn slowly made her way into the crowd and picked her first dance partner.
Dawn closed her eyes and lost herself in the feel of the music vibrating through her body. She wasn't even sure who she was dancing with anymore. It just felt good to let go. She'd been dancing most of the night and opened her eyes to look her current partner over. He'd do, she thought. "You know Barry, a friend of mine had a really useful philosophy about life," she spoke loudly to ensure her partner could hear her over the music. "Want. Take. Have. is what she called it. And I want you Barry."
"My name's not Barry."
Dawn leaned in close and trailed her right hand up his neck and slid her fingers into his hair. She quickly grasped it, pulling his head to the side exposing his neck. She trailed her tongue up his exposed neck before clamping down on his mouth with her smooth red lips and taking the kiss that she wanted. Dawn felt his erection pressing against her through his pants as she pulled her mouth away from his. She moved her mouth to his ear. "I don't care what your name is...Barry."
As the words left her mouth something caught Dawn's attention and her eyes focused on the short man sitting on the edge of the stage in a purple t-shirt that said Lavender Burrito. He was staring directly at Dawn as if trying to figure out a puzzle. She quickly let go of 'Barry' and stared back with wide eyes. 'It couldn't be!' she thought. But it was. It was the man that belonged to the voice she'd heard. Maybe he hadn't figured it out she thought as she turned and tried to melt back into the crowd.
"Hey! Where are you going?" 'Barry' said as he grabbed her shoulder. "What about want, take, have?"
Dawn shrugged his hand from her shoulder and quickly elbowed him in the face. "Beat it Barry. It's not gonna happen." She could hear the cries he made as she lost herself in the chaos of the crowd. She exited the club and hopped into the first open cab she saw. She quickly told him her address and he sped off. Once he dropped her off she ran to her door and after fiddling with her keys she got it open. She slammed it shut and began pacing across the living room. 'Crap,' she thought. It wouldn't be the first time she'd packed up and disappeared but she was so close this time. She'd been in Colorado Springs for almost two years now and she was certain that a few more months was all it would take. Every other time somebody had gotten this close she'd run. But not this time.
Taking out her cell phone she began scrolling down her contacts list. 'I'm going to need some help to get out of this one.' She stopped on the name Sam. She hoped Cassie wouldn't hate her for taking advantage of her relationship with Sam but in the long run it didn't matter. Her goal mattered. She hit the call button.
"Sam?"
"It's Casey. I'm a friend of Cassie's."
"She's fine. You know that thing that attacked Cassie and I last year?"
"I know she wasn't supposed to tell me the truth about it but I'm not stupid. So I made her give me your number just in case."
"I think another one of those things is after me. Maybe Cassie too."
"Thank God. I'll see you in two days then."
"I won't leave the house unless absolutely necessary."
Dawn finished listening to what Sam said and then flipped the phone shut. She was standing next to the front window of her living room. She slid the drape back and looked out the window of her apartment again. Through the frosted glass she watched the beat up van slowly pass by with it's windows down. "Great," she muttered. It was definitely the same van she'd seen the other time. And there aren't too many reasons to cruise around in the middle of winter with your windows rolled down. And as the saying went, 'Once is Happenstance. Twice is Coincidence. The third time it's Enemy action'.
Dawn let the drape fall back into place and walked into her bedroom. Dropping onto her knees she pulled a locked trunk from under her bed. Reaching into her shirt she pulled a chain with a key from between her breasts. She used the key to unlock the trunk and flipped the lid open. Inside were weapons of all types. Mostly edged weaponry but there was also a sawed-off shotgun as well as a few old books. Dawn picked one the books up and flipped it open to a page she was very familiar with. Standing, she began walking around the apartment reading incantations from the book. Once she completed the circuit of her home for the third time she stopped. The hairs on the back of her arms stood up in response to the palpable power that was in the air. Dawn smiled. The only person powerful enough to get through these wards was Willow, but she wouldn't have to worry about that. She squatted down in front of the trunk again. It didn't take much time to make sure all the weapons in the trunk were battle ready.
Satisfied that everything was in order Dawn kicked her boots off and peeled the leather pants off. She tossed the red shirt in the corner and now completely nude walked into the bathroom. She turned the water on in the shower and once it was hot enough she stepped under the stream of water; letting the heat of the water wash away the chill of the freezing Colorado weather. Dawn took her time lathering her hair and body up before washing it all off. With the soap washed away she shut off the water and grabbed a towel. Using it she began drying herself off. She walked back into the bedroom as she toweled the last bit of water out of her hair. Tossing the towel back into the bathroom she stood there naked. 'Guns, knives, swords...nudity. It was like an Anita Blake novel come to life,' she thought as she smiled.
Dawn walked to the trunk and pulled out a silver dagger and the shotgun and set them on the table beside her bed. Now all I have to do is wait for the cavalry to arrive thought Dawn as she climbed into bed. She pulled the covers up and rolled onto her side. With knife and gun within easy reach she drifted off to sleep pondering if Barry would have been worth it.
****************
Dawn looked over at Andrew again. "Are you sure this is safe?"
"Absolutely. Planos is Greek for wandering. He's like the patron saint of wanderers. It'll be like a giant Godzilla-sized locater spell. We don't have the time to locate all the newly activated slayers individually. Willow had enough trouble locating the ones on the West Coast. We just summon Planos and ask him to help us locate the potentials all at once. This is out of one of the books that made it out on the bus. It's got to be from Giles' stash and I'm sure if it was 'evil' he wouldn't have left it." Andrew flipped the pages until he found the spell he was looking for. "This is it. I need you to sit across from me inside the circle I've drawn."
"Doesn't Planos also mean misleading? And doesn't Godzilla usually destroy Tokyo?" Dawn asked as she sat down across from Andrew.
"Trust me Dawn. This will be easy as cake. Two Level 20 Wizards like us shouldn't have a problem with a simple summoning. As long as we stay in the circle nothing can go wrong. Now I've set the ceremonial bowl in front of us. When I cut my finger and drip my blood into it you need to do the same to complete the summoning. Do you have your ceremonial dagger ready?"
"I'm ready."
With those words Andrew began reading from the book in front of him. As he read the room seemed to grow dimmer; as if they were in a fog. Suddenly Andrew stopped speaking and pricked his pointer finger. He looked at Dawn and watched as she did the same. They both moved their fingers over the bowl and began dripping blood into it. As soon as the first drops of blood landed it was like Dawn's ears popped. She suddenly noticed a lack of any sound. In front of them the shape of a man slowly started to appear. It was like a huge roiling shadow coalescing into an empty man-shaped hole surrounded by a brilliant white halo. Dawn turned to Andrew and watched his mouth move but no sounds seemed to be coming out. Was she deaf?
Suddenly she heard the sounds of whispers. They seemed to be coming from everywhere and she couldn't quite make out what they were saying. She looked around to try and pinpoint the source. They weren't coming from the shadow and they weren't coming from Andrew. The whispers suddenly formed a single voice that said, 'Look out' just in time for her to turn and see Andrew bringing his dagger down double-handed toward her. She fell backward to try and dodge the attack. The dagger missed her head but did slice down her arm as she flailed wildly trying to block it. Andrew continued his move forward and ended up on top of her. He tried to bring his knife down again but this time Dawn was prepared. She grabbed his wrists and pushed back. After a few minutes of struggling Dawn started to feel the pain of her sliced arm and began losing the battle. Andrew realized his advantage and smiled as the knife inched closer to Dawn's chest. Dawn looked around for anything she could use and spied the dagger she dropped in the melee. It was just in arm's reach. Hoping she wasn't about to make a mistake Dawn quickly let go with her wounded arm and snatched up the dagger. As fast as she could she stabbed it into Andrew's ribs. She immediately felt the pressure on her arm holding Andrew away lessen. Before he could regain his advantage, she continued stabbing until she was able to push his limp body off of her. She lay there panting, covered in blood, dagger still clutched tightly in her right hand. The whispers seemed to have stopped finally and the shadowed figure was gone as well.
The door to the room burst open and Willow rushed in. Her hair was jet black and her eyes were solid black orbs. "It looks like I shouldn't have counted on Andrew. I didn't want to have to do this Dawnie but it looks like I'm going to have to finish the job." Willow flicked her hand and Dawn was picked up from the ground and tossed into the concrete wall of the spell room.
The force of the hit knocked the wind out of Dawn. She lay gasping for air and forced out a strangled, "Why?"
Willow smirked as she walked closer. "Power. You have it and I want it. It's not like you were going to use it anyway. In fact once you're gone the Key spell will be broken and nobody will know you even existed." Stopping about three feet away Willow raised her hands in a lifting gesture which brought Dawn's limp body up into the air. She was floating about six inches above the ground in front of Willow.
"Please don't do this Willow!" Dawn screamed as tears began rolling down her face leaving slightly cleaner trails in the blood splattered all over it.
"It's not just me Dawn. You don't think I could have done something like this without Buffy's approval do you?" Willow stepped closer and used her thumb to wipe the tears from Dawn's cheeks. All she succeeded in doing was smearing the blood and tears together. As Willow finished wiping Dawn's face she clenched her fist and suddenly remembered the dagger clutched madly in her hand. When Willow started to step back Dawn slashed the dagger across her throat. Willow staggered back, clutching her throat with a look of total shock on her face. Blood poured down the front of her dress. Willow dropped to the ground and then collapsed into a lifeless pile. About the same time Dawn dropped to the ground as the holding spell died with Willow.
Dawn's eyes shot open and her heart hammered away in her chest. She hadn't had that nightmare in months. But it was always the same. She'd never forget it or forget what she'd had to do. Dawn lay there and let her mind and heart slow down to normal pace. Hugging her pillow a little tighter than normal she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.
***************
The next morning Dawn woke up with a definite clarity of purpose. She tossed the blankets off, got out of bed and headed for her dresser. The chill of the morning made the floors especially cold. 'Damn, I should have put some clothes on before bed,' she thought as she reached blindly into her underwear drawer and pulled the first pair of panties she laid hands on, which just happened to be her 'Tuesday' panties. 'Too bad it was Saturday.' She quickly put them on and grabbed a pair of jeans that were draped over the chair next to her dresser. She pulled them up and then grabbed a bra from her dresser drawer. She slipped into it and clipped it shut. Then she practically ran to the closet and yanked a red turtleneck sweater off the hanger and pulled it on. Going back to the dresser Dawn pulled a pair of thick socks from the top drawer. She sat down on the chair and used them to cover her cold feet.
Dawn got up, grabbed her cell phone and called Sam again. After a few rings she connected.
"How long till you're here?"
"You must have made pretty good time. Good. Meet me at the Garden of the Gods around six o'clock. I'll be where Juniper Way Loop and Garden Road meet."
Dawn waited until Sam was done yelling. "Look, I'll explain everything later. Just so you know this isn't the first time I've dealt with something like this. Just make sure you're there and ready for action." Dawn hung up the phone and slipped it into a pocket. She walked back to her closet and grabbed a pair of hiking boots. She took them over to her bed, sat down and put them on.
'Now to go be bait.' Dawn looked at the sawed-off shotgun and silver dagger on the bedside table. "Planos," she called out and as she did her eyes flashed for the briefest second. "Commodo rector mihi. Beatus illa arma. Servo mihi ex vulnero," she said as she bowed her head over the weapons. She picked them up and carried them to the living room where she set them down long enough to grab her coat from the living room closet. Along with her coat she grabbed a sheath for the dagger that would fit on her forearm. The coat she put on was trench coat length but was a lot thicker than normal to keep out the cold. It also had a long pocket sewn into the inside that conveniently fit Dawn's sawed-off shotgun. 'Those Highlander guys always make it look so easy,' Dawn thought as she checked to make sure the hand grip was positioned so she could grab it with her hand in her pocket.
Looking around at the sparse items in her apartment Dawn sighed. She went back to the closet and grabbed her backpack. Walking around the apartment she gathered the few items she couldn't lose just in case she wasn't able to come back here. In went a spare set of clothes, the few magic books she possessed, a set of small knives, all the loose cash she had saved up and a picture of her and Mom. The other side of the picture was cut off so it was just Dawn and Joyce. She pulled the pack onto her shoulders and opened the front door. As soon as the door opened Dawn's eyes had to squint a little bit at the bright light reflecting off all the snow that was covering everything. 'Oh lucky day. It's snowing.' And apparently it had been coming down all night. She walked out the door and shut it behind her. Deciding that walking wasn't going to cut it Dawn flipped her cell phone open and dialed the number to the cab company she usually used. She arranged for a pickup at the Starbucks that was a few blocks from her house. 'Might as well enjoy one last Mocha Valencia before the shit hits the fan.'
Dawn walked the two blocks quickly and pushed through the door of the Starbucks. She ordered her Mocha Valencia. Sipping the orange-flavored coffee she went back outside and sat at one of the many deserted outside tables. Finally the cab showed up and she got in. "I need to go to the Budget Rent A Car place over in Roswell."
The cab driver turned the meter on. "The one on Filmore Street?"
"Yes." Dawn pulled the door shut and the cab pulled off. The driver tried to talk to her for most of the twenty minute ride but seemed to get the hint when she answered every question with one word answers. Once there she got out, paid the driver and walked into the lobby of the car rental place. After all the necessary paperwork Dawn found herself sitting in the driver seat of a Ford Escape. She put the SUV into gear and pulled onto the road, being careful of the limited visibility caused by the falling snow. Another thirty minute drive put Dawn in front of The Underground. She parked the truck in front of it and got out. The front door was locked so Dawn walked around to the side alley and found a beer truck parked there. A couple of guys in blue jumpsuits were rolling case after case of beer into the club. Dawn followed them in and looked around until she found the manager's office. As soon as Dawn walked in he looked up at her.
"Can I help you?" He looked to be in his late thirties and was in decent shape except for the beginnings of a paunch.
"I need to find out how to get in touch with the band that was here Friday night."
"I'm afraid I can't just give out information like that without a really good reason," the bar manager said as he leaned back to look at Dawn.
"I've got two words for you. Narro Verum." The words seemed to reverberate around the room for a second before Dawn continued. "I'll ask again. How do I get in touch with the band that was here last night?"
The club manager was much more cooperative this time to his own surprise. "Lavender Burrito was the band that played here last night. The lead singer is Alison Blaire. This is the contact number I have for her." The manager rattled off a telephone number.
Dawn committed the number to memory. "Thanks for your time." She left the confused looking manager and as she passed out of his office she said, "Nullus Memoria." As she walked through the club back into the alley she got out her cell phone and dialed the number.
It rang several times before a woman picked up. "Hello?"
"I need to speak to Oz."
The woman sounded a little groggy. "My roadie? He's not here. Who is this?"
At least that confirmed she wasn't just paranoid. "It's Dawn Summers. Tell him if he wants to finish this he should meet me at the Garden of the Gods at six thirty tonight. He'll know how to use his talents to find me. I'll be waiting." Before the woman could respond Dawn hung up the phone. By the time she hung up the phone she was at her SUV. She opened the door and climbed in. The engine roared to life as she put the key in and turned it. Looking at the clock in the dashboard Dawn realized she still had a few hours to kill so she drove back to her apartment. Since she was pretty sure this would be the last time she saw it, she loaded up some more stuff into the back of the truck. It still took very little time since she mainly just took the clothes and the remainder of the weapons. By the time she was done it was nearing sunset which meant she had roughly an hour before her meeting with Oz. She decided to go ahead and head up the Garden and wait there, especially with the increased snowfall that was still coming down. Although it shouldn't be too much of a problem since the snow never lasted very long around here according to the locals.
Twenty minutes later Dawn found herself parked on the side of the road at the appointed spot without too much difficulty. Dawn decided to do a quick patrol of the area so she'd be more familiar with the area while a little light could still be had from the setting sun. The snow was really falling now too and was definitely affecting visibility. Dawn trudged on making a rough circuit of the area surrounding her chosen meeting place. She found a large rock that provided some nice cover as well as a good view of her truck and settled down to wait.
After about thirty minutes of sitting in the cold Dawn was about to head back to the truck and wait in the warmth. The snowfall seemed to be getting heavier and the full moon that was rising only provided so much light. As she stood up to make her way back she saw headlights in the distance bouncing up the road toward her. She immediately settled back down to watch. The lights slowly resolved themselves into the headlights of the same beat up black van she'd seen in town. It slowed down as it pulled off to the side or the road and stopped about fifteen feet behind Dawn's SUV. The door opened and a short figure emerged. Presumably Oz. Dawn watched the figure walk up to her truck and peer into it as it circled the vehicle.
Luckily the snowfall had covered her tracks so Oz would only have one choice if he wanted to find her. 'It was definitely the moon for it,' Dawn thought as she glanced up at the full moon. Dawn watched as Oz walked back to the van and got into the back. A short time later the doors of the van burst open and an animalistic form jumped out. The werewolf began sniffing the air, pacing as if trying to pick up a trail. It didn't take long before it found Dawn's scent and it began moving off the road toward her hiding spot. Dawn forgot about the cold and the discomfort as her adrenaline started pumping. 'Nothing like having a werewolf hunting you to spice things up.' She quickly reached her hand into her pocket and grasped the shotgun. She slowly pulled it out and held it in front of her. 'I don't want that to get caught up in my coat at the wrong time.' Of course Dawn had made sure that her path was a windy one and that if followed wouldn't lead someone directly to her.
Dawn watched the werewolf move away from her as it tracked her. It quickly disappeared into the snowy night. 'This was the stupidest plan ever. What was I thinking?' Dawn slowly walked toward her truck keeping an eye on where the wolf should come from as well as where it had just gone. Of course what she wasn't expecting was the snarl as the werewolf leaped over the van and landed about ten feet away. For some reason it just stood there with its head cocked. Dawn quickly raised the shotgun and pulled the trigger. The first barrel shredded one of its arms but the second just clicked. A dud. The monster screamed in pain and Dawn dropped the shotgun and backpedalled as fast she could. She turned and began running back toward the rock. At least that way she could see her death coming with her back protected. Dawn looked back as she ran and watched as the werewolf stopped howling in pain and began coming after her. Its injured arm and shoulder seemed to be slowing it down just enough that Dawn made the rock. With her back to the giant boulder she pulled the silver dagger from it's sheath and waited. And watched the beast as it closed in on her. The next thing she heard was a loud crack followed by the werewolf tripping as if something hit it from the side. It quickly stood up but before it could continue there were two more loud cracks and the wolf was knocked down again. This time it stayed down. Dawn looked on in shock and then looked to the origin of the noise. A black Impala was sitting in the middle of the road with a rifle barrel sticking out of the driver side window. Another figure was sitting on the passenger door, hanging out, with a rifle on the roof of the car. Dawn wasn't sure if the shots were silver so she wasted no time before crawling toward it and plunging the silver dagger into its heart.
The wolf changed back into human form. The head turned to Dawn and gasped out, "Why? Was...just trying...find..." was all that Oz said before the light seemed to fade from his eyes.
Dawn felt a sharp pain in her head like needles in the back of her eyes. She screamed in pain and closed her eyes. When she opened them she saw the same man-shaped roiling black cloud that she'd seen when Andrew tried to kill her. The whispers were surrounding her again as well. This time the whispers coalesced into laughter. Dawn flashed back to the night everything started. This time she was watching the nightmare instead of living it.
Andrew watched in horror as the black cloud they'd summoned seemed to flood into Dawn's eyes. When the cloud was gone Dawn's limp body slumped to the floor. Andrew leaned forward, screaming her name and shaking her. Suddenly Dawn's eyes opened. They were pools of inky blackness. Dawn watched in horror as she started screaming and grabbed the dagger and began stabbing Andrew until he stopped moving. Her body collapsed back onto the floor and it seemed she'd passed out again until the door to the room opened and Willow ran in.
"Oh Goddess!" she screamed as she ran to Dawn's side. She knelt next to Dawn and lifted her head into her lap. Dawn's eyes opened to their normal blue this time. Before Willow had a chance to react Dawn brought the dagger up and plunged it into Willow's neck.
Dawn began crying as the pain behind her eyes continued to build. "What have I done?" she whispered as tears coated her face.
This time Dawn was watching the scene from earlier.
Oz's van pulled up behind her SUV and out he stepped. He stood waiting for a good amount of time before Dawn walked carefully back toward the vehicles like she couldn't see him. Once she was visible Oz walked over toward her. "Everything okay Dawn?"
Suddenly Dawn's eyes widened and she brought up the shotgun she'd been holding and opened fire on Oz. He screamed in pain and his transformation began as Dawn took off running the other way. Once it was complete the beast seemed to be in control and it limped off after Dawn.
"Oh my god!" she screamed as she collapsed into the snow next to Oz's corpse, tears starting to freeze on her face. The pain reached a crescendo and a thick black cloud seemed to pour from her eyes. It swirled with whispered laughter above her before it shot up into the night sky. The pain in her head was suddenly gone. Dawn laid on the ground and shook with sobs as she continued crying over what she had done. Through her tears Dawn could see Sam and Dean running toward her. Sam slid to the ground next to Dawn and began checking her for wounds. Dean made sure the werewolf was dead.
"Casey! Are you okay?" Sam asked as he checked her for bite marks. "Is Cassie here too?"
Dawn continued sobbing hysterically and wouldn't meet Sam's eyes.
Dean stood next to Oz's body. "It's dead."
"Where's Cassie? Is she okay?" asked Sam with more urgency.
Still crying Dawn answered him between sobs this time. "She's fine. She's at home."
Sam looked relieved as he picked her limp body up. "Let's get you out of here."
**********************
Dawn watched the stripes on the road pass by endlessly. She had her head leaning against the window of the Impala. She hadn't said much of anything since that night. All she knew was that they'd moved her small amount of stuff into the the Impala, returned the SUV to the rental place and were now going to see somebody named Bobby.
"Don't worry Casey. You did good out there. We'll get this thing sorted out," Dean said as he glanced back at Dawn's motionless form.
THE END