Stand Me Up at the Gates Of Hell
I've must thank a million times over my Beta Rinkle. She was so patient and helpful.
Title: Stand Me Up at the Gates Of Hell
Author: Strangevisitor7
Characters: Samuel Colt and 4 OCs including Bobby Singer’s Great(x4)Grandfather and Rupert Giles' Great(x4)Grandmother
fandoms: Supernatural and Buffy,the Vampire Slayer
Spoilers:For AHBL; None for Buffy
Rated: Gen
Disclaimer: All things SPN belong to Eric Kripke, et al..; All Things BtVS belong to Joss Whedon, et al.
Summary: The Watcher's Council wants to control Samuel Colt and The Colt. This story is my version of a SPN/BtVS history lesson. What if these two worlds collided in 1862 while Samuel Colt was trying to get the Devil's Trap built (AHBL)?
Stand Me up at the Gates of Hell
1862 - Winter
Samuel Colt stood in the middle of the cemetery in front of his greatest creation, the locked hell gate, looking down at The Colt, the literal ‘key’ to their victory just a fortnight ago.
“You did it,” came a very British voice from behind. Samuel turned smiling to acknowledge the man standing there.
Samuel Colt and Archibald Giles made unlikely friends. Sam, in his duster and boots had 6 inches and 100 pounds on the bird-like Englishman. They had worked together over the course of the past year to prevent an Apocalypse. That kind of experience tends to bind men together no matter what their background.
“I didn’t do it alone. We lost a lot of good people that night.”
“True.” Archibald thought of his charge, the 15 year-old Slayer, Rosamund who gave her life so they could close the gate and embed Samuel’s lock in the hell gate.
“Archie, don’t do this to yourself.” Sam saw the solemn look on Archie’s face and knew where the Watcher’s thoughts were headed.
“No, I am fine. I was just wondering if you were ever going stop calling me 'Archie'?”
“Only when you stop complaining about it.” The mood had shifted and they shared a small laugh at the old exchange.
They stopped when they heard people approaching. Quickly guns came up to train on the newcomers. As the group stepped closer, Sam recognized the two men as Bobby and Dean Singer, his ‘lieutenants’ during the fight and the dark haired women was Katherine Giles, Archie’s sister.
“Dammit, Sammy, put your gun down. You’re the one who called this meeting,” growled Dean.
“What’s this all about Sam?” asked Bobby
“You tell them, Archie. You’re the one who talked to the Watcher’s Council.”
Archibald removed his glasses and started cleaning them vigorously, as he explained, “Supernatural activity has been growing exponentially in the US over the last decade but the council has yet to acknowledge that the seat of evil is shifting to the new world.”
“We know this Archie,” Dean interrupted. “The council has been giving us assistance with one hand and takin’ it away with t’other. Doesn’t matter, we get the job done, don’t we.” He nodded and elbowed his brother for confirmation.
“Dean, will ya shut up and let the man finish. It’s not that simple”
“Come on , Bobby. You, me and Sammy know enough to take care of the American hunters and watchers. We don’t need some foreign Watcher’s Council telling us how to do our job.” Dean paused to look down at the petite Englishwoman beside him. “No offense, Miss Katherine.”
“None taken, Dean.”
“May I finish?” Archie sighed. Dean never could see the big picture. If it made sense he just did it and placating the Council was left to Samuel and Robert. “With the battle won, the council plans to reduce its presence here . They’re refusing to believe that this attempted apocalypse in the colonies was more than a one off. They have suspended the construction of the Devil’s Trap that Samuel designed and they are insisting that he turn the Colt over to them for safe keeping.”
“They’re nuts,” Bobby observed. “That ain’t gonna happen, right Sam? You ain’t gonna give ’em the Colt?
“Never. Just further evidence that the Watcher’s Council can’t be trusted ta look out for the best interests of the US watchers and hunters. We need that trap built to keep not only this country safe, but the world. Seems the council’s too ego driven to think they need us backwoods Americans” Sam turned to Archie. “Tell ‘em the rest.”
“The new slayer has been identified.” Anger tainted Archie’s voice. “She is from North Carolina and the council has assigned Reginald Rayne to be her Watcher.
“Sam that can’t be right,” Bobby protested. “Your senior in the states, you should be her watcher.”
“Bobby’s right.” Dean supported his brother. “This is the first American born Slayer. She should have an American Watcher. If not you, then Bobby but not that son of a bitch Rayne.”
“I agree, Dean.” Archie had been betrayed by Rayne and that made him universally hated by the Americans. Reginald Rayne would only use the slayer to further his own ambitions.
“It weren’t your fault that Rosamund died, Archie,” Bobby added. “No matter what Rayne said. He just used her death against you so’s he could claim the new slayer.”
Archie looked around to see four faces nodding in sympathy. “Thank you, my friends, but it seems that the council sees it differently.”
Katherine joined the conversation for the first time. “The council wants to control you, Samuel. A true Techno-mage is very rare. The only reason you Americans were involved in this fight is because the Council wishes to exploit Samuel’s talent with mechanicals.” She looked at the Singer brothers. “You two were just part of the package to assure Samuel’s cooperation.” The bluntness of her statement shocked the men.
“What are you saying Katherine?” Archibald knew that his sister was privy to more upper level Council matters but not even the Council would be stupid enough to throw the resources of the other Americans away now that the crisis had past.
“I’m afraid it’s worse than simply a reduced presence in the US and the suspension of the trap project. The American Hunter’s League is to be disbanded, the training of American watchers is to be discontinued and the new Slayer is to be taken back to London for training. In addition, I have been ordered to take the Colt and Samuel back to Britain. Archibald is to return for disciplinary action”
Sam stared at Katherine trying to absorb this additional information on the council’s treachery. “That only confirms the need for this gathering. As Dean said, we’ve wanted to run our own show for a while. I wanted to increase our control of US Hunter’s League but now the Watchers Council can go scratch.”
“You mean instead of running the League with the Council, we actually break ties? We build the trap on our own and hide the colt?”
“Exactly, Dean,” Sam clapped the shorter man on the shoulder.
“I’m in and Bobby, too.” Dean looked at his little brother for confirmation.
“Archie?” Sam asked
“Of course. Was it ever in doubt?”
“It won’t be easy, the Council will fight you,” Katherine warned. “They may not want a presence in the states but I doubt they will let you have one either.”
Sam just smiled at her. “Don’t care. Don’t they know when they tell us we can’t that just means we will?”
“Hell Yea!” echoed Dean.
“Back to business. Our first task will be to finish the Devil’s Trap so that the hell gate is protected and if Katherine there agrees to join us, we can put protections on the gun and the cemetery.”
Katherine was a powerful witch. They could not finish the Devil’s Trap and protect the Colt without some significant magic on their side.
“I won’t leave the council, Sam,” She held up a hand to stop the men from speaking. “I don’t agree with what they are doing but I can help you more if they think I am still loyal. I should be able to help you with the spells for both the Colt and the trap before I am forced to return to London.”
“Thank you, Katherine. That will have to be enough.” Sam looked at the four committed faces in front of him. “All right, we’ve got work to do.”
*************************************************************************
1862 - Summer
It had been 6 months since that clandestine meeting in the cemetery that had set Sam Colt’s vision in motion. Not everything had gone as planned. The US Hunter’s League was failing, but the trap was finished and all that remained was for the spell to be activated. Sam removed his cowboy hat and dragged one hand through his shaggy hair. “I’m ready.”
Archibald stepped in front of Sam to block his way. “You don’t have to do this. The Council doesn’t know we’ve finished the trap. We can keep it secret.”
“Archie’s right, Sammy,” Dean added. “We can set regular guards to check the rails and protect the area. You don’t have to bind yourself into the Trap.”
“ No Dean, we’ve been through this.” Bobby joined the discussion. “Standard protocols won’t work. The Council is too strong.
“Without my sacrifice the trap is vulnerable and ya’ll know it.”
“Exactly,” added Bobby. “They’ve been distracted trying to break our Hunter’s League. But, that won’t last and then they will know what we’ve done here.”
Dean looked quizzically at his brother. “You think that the Council will try to destroy the trap just to teach us ignorant cowboys a lesson.”
“Hell, I don’t know, Dean,” answered Bobby. “What I do know, is that the Council is a bunch of bastards who like to throw their weight around.”
“Those protections will be stronger if I am bound into the trap and can refresh them over time,” Sam admitted sadly.
Dean wasn’t happy but he knew better than to argue when Sam had his mind set on a course of action. “And the Colt? You gonna hold that with you?”
Katherine answered Dean. “I laid a spell on the Colt that will cause it to seek the hand of a champion should the gate become vulnerable or the protections threatened. Until then it will be in that new museum in Washington on display.”
It had been Sam’s idea to hide the key in plain site. He picked up the thread of exposition. “To anyone but a worthy hunter, Katherine has spelled the Colt to appear as a normal gun and the bullets will actually be invisible to demons and other evil. That’s my favorite part.”
“My sister is amazing.” Archibald beamed. The others nodded in agreement.
She turned to Sam. “I don’t like binding your essence to the trap but I agree it is the only way. A mortal with the Colt and the desire can still breach the protections and open the gate.”
“Well, I should be able to stop him. And, if he’s evil, he shouldn’t be able to track down the Colt in the first place.”
Katherine disagreed. “You will be bound to the gate as a shade not a ghost. I am not sure that you could physically stop a human. And Sam,” She stepped closer to grasp his hand in hers, “you can be released if someone else freely agrees to take on your burden.”
“I just want it on record that I am against this, Sammy. Let me do it. You’re a famous man, you could still save the US League. Bobby and I can’t do that and neither can the Giles’. We’ll end up bein’ regular hunters again, they’ll head back to Britain and the League ‘ll really be dead.”
“No, Dean, I can’t let you do that. This is my plan and I can’t ask anyone else to make this sacrifice. I need to see it through. The League’s survival ain’t as important as preventing an apocalypse. Just keep fighting the good fight and we’ll survive.”
With one final, sad smile at his friends, Sam turned and walked into the center of the cemetery.
*************************************************************************
Present
The man entered the salvage yard. He avoided the many dogs in his path and knocked on the door. It was opened by one of the tallest men he’d ever seen.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, my name is Rupert Giles and I am looking for Robert Singer. I understand he and his friends stopped an apocalypse last week. I represent the new Watcher’s Council and we have a proposition for him.”
The End
A/N: The title is from “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty
Title: Stand Me Up at the Gates Of Hell
Author: Strangevisitor7
Characters: Samuel Colt and 4 OCs including Bobby Singer’s Great(x4)Grandfather and Rupert Giles' Great(x4)Grandmother
fandoms: Supernatural and Buffy,the Vampire Slayer
Spoilers:For AHBL; None for Buffy
Rated: Gen
Disclaimer: All things SPN belong to Eric Kripke, et al..; All Things BtVS belong to Joss Whedon, et al.
Summary: The Watcher's Council wants to control Samuel Colt and The Colt. This story is my version of a SPN/BtVS history lesson. What if these two worlds collided in 1862 while Samuel Colt was trying to get the Devil's Trap built (AHBL)?
Stand Me up at the Gates of Hell
1862 - Winter
Samuel Colt stood in the middle of the cemetery in front of his greatest creation, the locked hell gate, looking down at The Colt, the literal ‘key’ to their victory just a fortnight ago.
“You did it,” came a very British voice from behind. Samuel turned smiling to acknowledge the man standing there.
Samuel Colt and Archibald Giles made unlikely friends. Sam, in his duster and boots had 6 inches and 100 pounds on the bird-like Englishman. They had worked together over the course of the past year to prevent an Apocalypse. That kind of experience tends to bind men together no matter what their background.
“I didn’t do it alone. We lost a lot of good people that night.”
“True.” Archibald thought of his charge, the 15 year-old Slayer, Rosamund who gave her life so they could close the gate and embed Samuel’s lock in the hell gate.
“Archie, don’t do this to yourself.” Sam saw the solemn look on Archie’s face and knew where the Watcher’s thoughts were headed.
“No, I am fine. I was just wondering if you were ever going stop calling me 'Archie'?”
“Only when you stop complaining about it.” The mood had shifted and they shared a small laugh at the old exchange.
They stopped when they heard people approaching. Quickly guns came up to train on the newcomers. As the group stepped closer, Sam recognized the two men as Bobby and Dean Singer, his ‘lieutenants’ during the fight and the dark haired women was Katherine Giles, Archie’s sister.
“Dammit, Sammy, put your gun down. You’re the one who called this meeting,” growled Dean.
“What’s this all about Sam?” asked Bobby
“You tell them, Archie. You’re the one who talked to the Watcher’s Council.”
Archibald removed his glasses and started cleaning them vigorously, as he explained, “Supernatural activity has been growing exponentially in the US over the last decade but the council has yet to acknowledge that the seat of evil is shifting to the new world.”
“We know this Archie,” Dean interrupted. “The council has been giving us assistance with one hand and takin’ it away with t’other. Doesn’t matter, we get the job done, don’t we.” He nodded and elbowed his brother for confirmation.
“Dean, will ya shut up and let the man finish. It’s not that simple”
“Come on , Bobby. You, me and Sammy know enough to take care of the American hunters and watchers. We don’t need some foreign Watcher’s Council telling us how to do our job.” Dean paused to look down at the petite Englishwoman beside him. “No offense, Miss Katherine.”
“None taken, Dean.”
“May I finish?” Archie sighed. Dean never could see the big picture. If it made sense he just did it and placating the Council was left to Samuel and Robert. “With the battle won, the council plans to reduce its presence here . They’re refusing to believe that this attempted apocalypse in the colonies was more than a one off. They have suspended the construction of the Devil’s Trap that Samuel designed and they are insisting that he turn the Colt over to them for safe keeping.”
“They’re nuts,” Bobby observed. “That ain’t gonna happen, right Sam? You ain’t gonna give ’em the Colt?
“Never. Just further evidence that the Watcher’s Council can’t be trusted ta look out for the best interests of the US watchers and hunters. We need that trap built to keep not only this country safe, but the world. Seems the council’s too ego driven to think they need us backwoods Americans” Sam turned to Archie. “Tell ‘em the rest.”
“The new slayer has been identified.” Anger tainted Archie’s voice. “She is from North Carolina and the council has assigned Reginald Rayne to be her Watcher.
“Sam that can’t be right,” Bobby protested. “Your senior in the states, you should be her watcher.”
“Bobby’s right.” Dean supported his brother. “This is the first American born Slayer. She should have an American Watcher. If not you, then Bobby but not that son of a bitch Rayne.”
“I agree, Dean.” Archie had been betrayed by Rayne and that made him universally hated by the Americans. Reginald Rayne would only use the slayer to further his own ambitions.
“It weren’t your fault that Rosamund died, Archie,” Bobby added. “No matter what Rayne said. He just used her death against you so’s he could claim the new slayer.”
Archie looked around to see four faces nodding in sympathy. “Thank you, my friends, but it seems that the council sees it differently.”
Katherine joined the conversation for the first time. “The council wants to control you, Samuel. A true Techno-mage is very rare. The only reason you Americans were involved in this fight is because the Council wishes to exploit Samuel’s talent with mechanicals.” She looked at the Singer brothers. “You two were just part of the package to assure Samuel’s cooperation.” The bluntness of her statement shocked the men.
“What are you saying Katherine?” Archibald knew that his sister was privy to more upper level Council matters but not even the Council would be stupid enough to throw the resources of the other Americans away now that the crisis had past.
“I’m afraid it’s worse than simply a reduced presence in the US and the suspension of the trap project. The American Hunter’s League is to be disbanded, the training of American watchers is to be discontinued and the new Slayer is to be taken back to London for training. In addition, I have been ordered to take the Colt and Samuel back to Britain. Archibald is to return for disciplinary action”
Sam stared at Katherine trying to absorb this additional information on the council’s treachery. “That only confirms the need for this gathering. As Dean said, we’ve wanted to run our own show for a while. I wanted to increase our control of US Hunter’s League but now the Watchers Council can go scratch.”
“You mean instead of running the League with the Council, we actually break ties? We build the trap on our own and hide the colt?”
“Exactly, Dean,” Sam clapped the shorter man on the shoulder.
“I’m in and Bobby, too.” Dean looked at his little brother for confirmation.
“Archie?” Sam asked
“Of course. Was it ever in doubt?”
“It won’t be easy, the Council will fight you,” Katherine warned. “They may not want a presence in the states but I doubt they will let you have one either.”
Sam just smiled at her. “Don’t care. Don’t they know when they tell us we can’t that just means we will?”
“Hell Yea!” echoed Dean.
“Back to business. Our first task will be to finish the Devil’s Trap so that the hell gate is protected and if Katherine there agrees to join us, we can put protections on the gun and the cemetery.”
Katherine was a powerful witch. They could not finish the Devil’s Trap and protect the Colt without some significant magic on their side.
“I won’t leave the council, Sam,” She held up a hand to stop the men from speaking. “I don’t agree with what they are doing but I can help you more if they think I am still loyal. I should be able to help you with the spells for both the Colt and the trap before I am forced to return to London.”
“Thank you, Katherine. That will have to be enough.” Sam looked at the four committed faces in front of him. “All right, we’ve got work to do.”
*************************************************************************
1862 - Summer
It had been 6 months since that clandestine meeting in the cemetery that had set Sam Colt’s vision in motion. Not everything had gone as planned. The US Hunter’s League was failing, but the trap was finished and all that remained was for the spell to be activated. Sam removed his cowboy hat and dragged one hand through his shaggy hair. “I’m ready.”
Archibald stepped in front of Sam to block his way. “You don’t have to do this. The Council doesn’t know we’ve finished the trap. We can keep it secret.”
“Archie’s right, Sammy,” Dean added. “We can set regular guards to check the rails and protect the area. You don’t have to bind yourself into the Trap.”
“ No Dean, we’ve been through this.” Bobby joined the discussion. “Standard protocols won’t work. The Council is too strong.
“Without my sacrifice the trap is vulnerable and ya’ll know it.”
“Exactly,” added Bobby. “They’ve been distracted trying to break our Hunter’s League. But, that won’t last and then they will know what we’ve done here.”
Dean looked quizzically at his brother. “You think that the Council will try to destroy the trap just to teach us ignorant cowboys a lesson.”
“Hell, I don’t know, Dean,” answered Bobby. “What I do know, is that the Council is a bunch of bastards who like to throw their weight around.”
“Those protections will be stronger if I am bound into the trap and can refresh them over time,” Sam admitted sadly.
Dean wasn’t happy but he knew better than to argue when Sam had his mind set on a course of action. “And the Colt? You gonna hold that with you?”
Katherine answered Dean. “I laid a spell on the Colt that will cause it to seek the hand of a champion should the gate become vulnerable or the protections threatened. Until then it will be in that new museum in Washington on display.”
It had been Sam’s idea to hide the key in plain site. He picked up the thread of exposition. “To anyone but a worthy hunter, Katherine has spelled the Colt to appear as a normal gun and the bullets will actually be invisible to demons and other evil. That’s my favorite part.”
“My sister is amazing.” Archibald beamed. The others nodded in agreement.
She turned to Sam. “I don’t like binding your essence to the trap but I agree it is the only way. A mortal with the Colt and the desire can still breach the protections and open the gate.”
“Well, I should be able to stop him. And, if he’s evil, he shouldn’t be able to track down the Colt in the first place.”
Katherine disagreed. “You will be bound to the gate as a shade not a ghost. I am not sure that you could physically stop a human. And Sam,” She stepped closer to grasp his hand in hers, “you can be released if someone else freely agrees to take on your burden.”
“I just want it on record that I am against this, Sammy. Let me do it. You’re a famous man, you could still save the US League. Bobby and I can’t do that and neither can the Giles’. We’ll end up bein’ regular hunters again, they’ll head back to Britain and the League ‘ll really be dead.”
“No, Dean, I can’t let you do that. This is my plan and I can’t ask anyone else to make this sacrifice. I need to see it through. The League’s survival ain’t as important as preventing an apocalypse. Just keep fighting the good fight and we’ll survive.”
With one final, sad smile at his friends, Sam turned and walked into the center of the cemetery.
*************************************************************************
Present
The man entered the salvage yard. He avoided the many dogs in his path and knocked on the door. It was opened by one of the tallest men he’d ever seen.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, my name is Rupert Giles and I am looking for Robert Singer. I understand he and his friends stopped an apocalypse last week. I represent the new Watcher’s Council and we have a proposition for him.”
The End
A/N: The title is from “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty