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skylar0graceTitle: Fractured Hearts Trilogy: Part Two - Collision
Author: SkylarGrace
Status: Complete
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It was bound to happen…
Spoilers: All of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’
Disclaimer: ‘Supernatural’ and all related characters are copyright Eric Kripke, Kripke Enterprises & The CW Network. No infringement intended. ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and all related characters are copyright Joss Whedon and ME. No infringement intended.
Sam woke the next morning and rolled over checking on Dawn. She laid peacefully asleep, her long eyelashes resting softly on her skin. She let out a drawn breath before her eyes fluttered open and she looked across at Sam and gave him a soft smile.
“Sleep well?” she asked sitting up and stretching her arms above her head. Sam felt his mouth go dry and nodded in response. “Let’s go downstairs, I’m starving!”
They both climbed out of bed and headed down the stairs together. As they entered the kitchen they moved toward the counter and sat on stools opposite Buffy and Dean who were standing. Buffy silently poured coffee into a cup in front of her before passing it to Dean who followed suit. She then added sugar before passing the bowl to Dean. She stirred it as he added sugar and stirred and at the same time, they pushed the mugs in front of their siblings. Sam raised an eyebrow to Dawn who shrugged.
Buffy then moved off to the side pulling two bowls out of a cupboard and reaching for a box of cereal. Dean moved to the fridge and withdrew the milk and stopped at the cutlery drawer taking out two spoons. They moved efficiently around the kitchen and returned to the counter at the same time. Neither said a word, nor looked at the other.
Buffy separated the two bowls and poured cereal into each before sliding them to Dean. Dean added milk and the spoons before placing them in front of Dawn and Sam. Buffy returned the cereal and pulled out two small plates as Dean returned the milk and took two pieces of toast out of the toaster and brought them to the counter as Buffy returned with the plates. She passed a plate to him as he dropped the toast onto her plate and both simultaneously reached for butter knives before buttering their toast.
Buffy and Dean both took a bite out of their toast as they looked up at Dawn and Sam who were staring at them with raised eyebrows.
“What?” Buffy asked with a mouthful of toast. Sam looked over at Dawn and they gave each other suppressed smiles.
“Nothing,” they replied in unison before dipping their spoons into their bowls and eating their cereal.
~
The five occupants climbed out of the car and Buffy nodded to Dean. Nodding back, he grabbed Sam and they disappeared behind a row of trees. Buffy moved silently in the opposite direction, Dawn’s footfalls reassuring as the moved closer to the mansion. She found it somewhat eerie to be back in the same place she was nearly killed the night before but she pushed it aside. She needed to keep her head in the game if she was going to protect Dawn and stop an apocalypse. Buffy ducked behind a large boulder and Dawn and Owen crouched on either side of her.
“How do you want to get there?” Dawn asked.
Buffy scanned the lawn. There was nobody in sight, demon or otherwise, and no movement from inside. She shrugged.
“Run?” Dawn rolled her eyes and Owen grinned. “Dean and Sam are approaching from the other side so it’s really our only option. I mean, there’s better cover there so it won’t be as big an issue for them.”
Seeing no time like the present, Buffy leapt to her feet and began sprinting across the lawn. Somewhere behind her she heard Dawn and Owen running as well. It was only when Owen cried out in pain that she stopped and turned. She saw large iron jaws clamped around his ankle and she realised with startling clarity and horror that it had been a trap. Her head swivelled around to catch sight of Dawn. Dawn was a few metres from her and moving toward Owen; she didn’t see the vampires moving out from the trees but Buffy didn’t see the demons moving out from the mansion behind her.
Dawn glanced up and each sister saw a look of panic on the other’s face. Before either could turn around to assess the danger personally posed to them, Dawn felt a number of hands grabbing her, one pressing a cloth to her face. The fumes on it burnt her nostrils and she tried to hold her breath as she struggled but the fumes invaded nevertheless. Tears welled up in her eyes as they too burned and as the world started fading she noticed Buffy turning around, an arrow sticking out of her back, before she crumpled to the ground.
Buffy tried to ignore the sharp pain in her back as she tried to look for Dawn again, chastising herself for taking her eyes off of her sister, but the pain was great as the muscles tried to compensate and her eyelids grew heavy. She barely saw the demon standing above her as her eyes closed and she succumbed to the darkness.
~
Buffy forced her eyes open and glanced around the room she was in. It appeared to be a dining room but the furniture had long since been trashed. There was a body across the room, lying on the floor facing the wall and Buffy didn’t need to get any closer to know she was dead. She could only assume she’d been one of the former occupants of the house. Buffy couldn’t see anyone else in the room and one glance outside told her that dusk had already approached. The last rays of sunlight filtered through the tattered curtains and Buffy let out a deep breath, determined to see the glass as half full: at least the ritual wasn’t going down now.
She tried to remove the bonds from her hands but the sharp edges of the arrow still embedded in her back caused her to gasp in pain. Closing her eyes and gritting her teeth, she pulled her hands apart and felt the thin rope snap. Obviously they’d thought that an arrow to the back was gonna stop her from trying to reach her sister in time and that proper rope was an unnecessary burden. That would be their loss.
Buffy saw a shadow move in front of the French doors to her left and she got out of her chair as best she could. Standing beside them, she slowed her breath as the handle softly turned and the door opened. Her fist flew out but she pulled it back when she saw the familiar leather jacket. Dean ducked and turned before pulling Sam inside and softly shutting the doors.
“What happened?”
“Trap. Owen was taken down first before they got Dawn and me. I don’t know where either of them are.” Sam stepped toward her but Buffy merely turned around. “Get it out,” she ordered.
Sam shook his head. “I can’t Buffy. It’s an arrow; you can’t just pull them out. If I do, it’s gonna cause more damage and you’ll likely bleed out.”
Buffy glared before turning to Dean. “Pull it out.”
“Sam’s right. If you bleed out, we’re down one more player.”
“I’m not walking around with an arrow sticking out of my back. If you don’t pull it out, one of them will.”
Dean pulled out a pocket knife and flicked the blade up. It made a sharp crack before his gaze levelled with hers.
“I’ve got nothing to dull the pain.”
Buffy stepped closer. “Just get it out.”
Dean lit a match under the blade and ran it along the length. As the match burned down, Sam tore a bigger hole in her shirt and winced as he saw the inflamed skin around the arrow. Dean dropped the match and pushed the knife straight into the hole. He simultaneously cauterised the skin and pulled out the arrow, causing Buffy to let out a small groan in pain. Her knees buckled and she knelt heavily on the ground letting out deep breaths and trying to clear her vision.
Strong arms lifted her up and Buffy took a moment to lean against Dean, drawing her strength together before looking up at him with grateful eyes. He gave her a soft smile before a noise outside the doors drew their attention. All three saw shadows moving past the doors and they crept forward. Dean opened a door silently and peered out.
“Thurman,” he said as he turned back to them, “looked like he was in bad shape.”
Buffy took a deep deliberate breath before walking further into the room. She stopped and spun toward them. “Go after him and get him out. I’ll go after Dawn.”
“You said you didn’t know where she was,” Dean countered.
“I don’t, but I’ll find her.”
“Buffy, you’re injured, you can’t go out there alone. Why don’t we all go after Thurman and then find Dawn?”
“He’ll slow us down further. I’m almost positive he’s got a broken ankle so he can’t walk out - you both need to go after him. I have to find Dawn before they start the ritual.”
“Buffy- ”
Buffy stalked toward him. “Tell me you wouldn’t do the same thing,” she whispered, almost growling, “Tell me you wouldn’t go after Sam.”
She saw the hurt flicker across his eyes at the low blow before they hardened in acceptance. He grabbed her forcefully, pulling him toward her in a punishing kiss before releasing her and opening the door. He motioned for Sam to leave and Sam offered her a small smile before walking carefully out the door. Dean stopped at the doorframe and looked back over his shoulder, his eyes briefly meeting hers.
“Don’t die.”
And then he was gone. Buffy closed her eyes in both emotional and physical pain, taking in a deep breath before looking back at the partially opened door. Dawn. Dawn was her focus now. She hadn’t let Dawn go before and she was no more inclined to now. She steeled herself and walked out of the room, glancing both ways before picking the route that screamed of demon activity.
~
Dean and Sam watched as a demon exited the room, closing the door behind her. She looked to the left before turning to the right and disappearing around the corner. Dean nudged Sam and they moved quickly to the door, opening it and stepping inside. Two vampires looked up in surprise before baring their teeth and snarling at the Hunters. Dean and Sam quickly pulled out a knife each and squared off against their attackers.
Dean let himself get hit twice before seeing the opening he was waiting for. He lashed out with an uppercut to the jaw before bringing up the sword and decapitating the vampire. There was a small look of surprise before the vampire disintegrated into dust and Dean stepped forward to see Owen lying propped against the far wall. Owen half smiled before casting a glance at Sam.
Dean moved forward and assessed his friend’s injuries. He definitely had a broken ankle; Dean could see all the way to the bone on his right ankle and considering how Owen was leaning to his left, he’d probably have some broken ribs as well.
“Can you move?”
Owen nodded and put his arm around Dean’s neck as Dean helped him stand. He stood on one foot and winced in pain. Dean looked over at Sam and saw him decapitate his foe, the body falling uselessly to the ground as the head rolled slightly toward Dean and Owen. Dean raised an eyebrow and looked at Sam. Sam shrugged.
“Guess he’s one of the ones that doesn’t.”
Dean nodded in Owen’s direction and Sam came to hold him up on the other side. All three walked carefully out the door and down the hall. Sam saw the door that he and Dean had entered in and led them out toward it. Once outside, Sam and Dean looked around for any vampires or demons. Seeing the all-clear, they began walking Owen to the Impala until Sam felt Dean stop. Dean looked back at the house before looking at Sam.
“I’ve gotta go help her. We can’t let this play out the same.”
Dropping Owen’s arm, he raced back toward the house. Sam shifted Owen’s weight and began walking faster to the Impala.
~
As Dean walked toward the main lounge room he heard sounds of battle. He stealthily pulled out his knife and advanced. As he turned the corner, he saw Buffy’s sword strike that of an opponent’s before she jumped in the air, avoiding the sword aimed at her feet. Dean swung into action and attacked a vampire who was watching from the sidelines. Taken by surprise, he quickly turned to dust and Dean moved onto the next.
Buffy spun, her sword aimed at the demon’s throat when it was blocked by a sword. The demon smiled before backhanding her. Misjudging the next swing, Buffy failed to see the demon kicking out her foot until it was too late. The foot pushed her off-balance, causing her to hit the ground on her knees. She felt the handle of the sword hit her back wound punishingly and she cried out in pain before pushing the demon back and standing shakily to her feet.
Buffy heard her name being called out across the room in panic and turned to see Dean decapitate a vampire and start advancing toward her. The minute lapse in concentration cause the demon to grin as she lashed out, the tip of her sword piercing Buffy’s shoulder. Buffy saw Dean begin running toward her before another demon stepped in his path, attacking him with a mace. She drew her own sword up to defend against other blows but saw the handle on a path to connect with her head. Only having a second to move, Buffy turned her head but the sword’s aim was still true and it connect with her temple. The force pushed her backward and she barely heard the crack of her head hitting stone before everything went dark.
~
Sam ran around the corner and quickly surveyed the room before him. He could see Buffy in front of the fireplace, just as he had in his vision, with blood covering the stone face. He couldn’t tell from this distance if she was alive or not but he could see Dean fighting a Sisterhood demon. Not wasting anymore time, Sam turned and headed for the stairs, taking two at a time. He looked to the left and saw a large closed door and moved toward it.
Opening it carefully, he poked his head inside and could see Dawn at the far end of the room. Dean had only had mere seconds to untie Dawn before a demon stepped out from a side room. Sam quickly began untying her ropes, trying not to further injure her bloodied wrists and kept an eye out to his left. As the last knot loosened, Dawn’s body slumped forward and he moved to grab her before she fell.
The door at the far end opened and Sam saw Dean’s head poking through. Seeing his brother and Dawn, he rushed forward but Sam’s glance to the left had him rethinking his strategy as a shadow moved along the wall closer to them. Dean gripped his bloodied blade tighter as he moved along the wall. As the demon stepped out behind Sam, Dean leapt forward and slit her throat. Her hands rushed up to stem the flow of blood and Dean simply stepped back as she fell face forward onto the floor.
“You okay?”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, let’s just get out of here.”
Dean headed for the door as Dawn stirred. She opened her eyes to see Sam’s concerned ones staring back at her. “Buffy?” she asked.
Sam looked over toward Dean for a response but he’d already disappeared out of the room. Sam placed Dawn on her feet. She took a moment to steady herself before she began walking out of the room, keeping hold of Sam’s hand as she moved out in search of her sister. They saw Dean running into a room and they hurried down the stairs. There were demon bodies everywhere and as they turned the corner, Sam and Dawn watched as Dean knelt down and placed his fingers to her neck.
Dawn felt the pit of her stomach drop as Dean hung his head before picking her up in his arms. Buffy was cradled against Dean’s chest, her blonde hair falling over her face and Dawn watched as her hand hung limply at her side. There was blood everywhere, especially at the back of her head where it had matted her hair. Dean locked eyes with her.
“She’s alive.”
Those two words reenergised Dawn and she gave him a brilliant smile. “Let’s go.”
As the Impala pulled away, there was a loud bang and the sky momentarily lit up before black smoke filled the air. Dean looked back in the mirror to see flames licking the sky over the surrounding trees but as he looked back to the road before him, his gaze fell on his three injured passengers. This night had been hard and almost quite costly. He stared at the road the entire drive back, oblivious to the conversation as he became lost in his thoughts.
As the Impala pulled up to the curb, Sam quickly climbed out and helped Owen up to his house. Owen had asked to go straight home, insisting he had a friend who was a doctor and had treated all of his prior injuries on the job. Dawn climbed out after Owen and gave a cursory glance back at her sister before seeing Dean. She gave him a small smile, closed the door and headed up to the house.
Dean opened the back door and bent down to look at Buffy. He brushed a lock of hair away from her face before pressing a small kiss to her forehead. He’d done a lot of thinking on the drive back.
“I’m sorry baby,” he whispered as he brushed his thumb over her lips. He gave her one last look, memorising every detail before standing up and lifting her from the car.
As he walked into the front door he could hear Dawn and Owen arguing good-naturedly in the kitchen. Dawn was insisting he let her take a look at his injuries, even just the simple ones, and he kept swatting her hands away. Dean climbed the staircase and entered Buffy and Dawn’s room. He laid her gently on the bed before walking out and seeing Sam entering their room.
Sam pulled a first aid kit out from his duffle and cleaned the superficial wounds, keeping one eye on his brother. Dean had been oddly silent in the car and Sam knew something was wrong. Dean pulled his duffle out from under the bed and began packing all of his clothes into it.
“Pack your stuff,” Dean ordered without turning around.
Sam frowned. “Dean?”
“Pack. Your. Stuff,” he enunciated.
Sam closed the box and stood as he realised what Dean was asking. He squared his shoulders. “I can’t let you walk away from her again, Dean, she doesn’t deserve it.”
Dean turned around angrily and shoved Sam into the wall behind him. “No, Sam, I’ll tell you what she doesn’t deserve. She doesn’t deserve to watch me die. I won’t let her. Now pack your crap or I’ll leave you behind.”
He let go of Sam forcefully, pushing him back into the wall slightly as he turned back to his bag. Sam sucked in a deep breath. He knew Dean wouldn’t even say goodbye; he couldn’t say goodbye to everyone but Buffy.
“Dean, I know it will be hard but don’t you think she has the right to decide for herself?”
Dean remained quiet and Sam thought he was going to ignore him. Dean’s muscles had tensed and he turned around slowly.
“She nearly died because of me.”
Sam frowned. “What?”
“Today. She went down and I called out to her, threw her off her game and it gave the demon the chance to take her down. I couldn’t get to her in time.”
“Dean…”
“Just stop Sammy. I know that when I die, she’s gonna want to be there. I don’t want her to watch me die nor do I want her to try and stop it.” Dean turned back around and zipped his duffle. “I won’t let her sacrifice herself for me.”
“But you can make the sacrifice yourself?”
Sam and Dean both turned toward Dawn who was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. She had an incredulous look on her face but her eyes had darkened in anger. Dean stepped forward furiously.
“Fine, I’ll take her with me. She can unsuccessfully try to stop me from dying and Sam can bring back her body for you. Would that make you happy?”
“Don’t be an idiot! She’s more than capable of making her own choices, so let her. She loves you, Dean, she loves you!”
“And I love her!” he yelled. Dean turned away from Dawn and took a deep breath before picking up his bag and lugging it over his shoulder. “That’s why I’m gonna make this decision for the both of us.” He looked over his shoulder at Sam. “If you’re not in the car in five minutes, I’m leaving without you.”
Dean walked past Dawn and out the door. They could hear his heavy footsteps on the stairs and Dawn turned her angry gaze on Sam.
“Dawn,” he began, “I’m, I’m sorry.”
“You’re going with him.”
It was a statement, not a question and it made Sam feel even guiltier. He turned back to his bag and put the first aid kit inside. The sound of the zipper was so final and it brought Dawn further into the room. He looked over at her and saw the hurt look on her face.
“Please, please stay. Make Dean stay.”
“Dawn- ”
“This is going to break her!”
Tears fell down her face and Sam drew her in, holding onto her as she cried. Her petite body shook against his and he pressed a soft kiss into her hair. Her fingers clenched his shirt and he closed his eyes in pain. Peeling her fingers from his shirt, he turned away from her and picked up his duffle. Sam turned back to her and paused, indecision etched across his face, before he pulled her toward him and pressed his lips softly against hers.
Breaking away, Sam saw another tear trail down her face and he brushed his thumb over it as she opened her eyes. He tried to convey as much sorrow over the decision as he felt before walking away from her and down the stairs. The Impala had already been started and Sam threw his duffle on the backseat and climbed in, his door barely closed before Dean sped away, desperate to put some distance between himself and his hurt.
~
Buffy opened her eyes slowly and groaned as her headache came back in full force. She took a moment to notice her surroundings and her face landed on Dawn’s. It was filled with sorrow and Buffy tried to see if there was any grief in her eyes. Seeing none, and the absence of Dean, Buffy’s heart broke.
~Fin.
Author: SkylarGrace
Status: Complete
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It was bound to happen…
Spoilers: All of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’
Disclaimer: ‘Supernatural’ and all related characters are copyright Eric Kripke, Kripke Enterprises & The CW Network. No infringement intended. ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and all related characters are copyright Joss Whedon and ME. No infringement intended.
Chapter Seven
For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul – Judy Garland
For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul – Judy Garland
Sam woke the next morning and rolled over checking on Dawn. She laid peacefully asleep, her long eyelashes resting softly on her skin. She let out a drawn breath before her eyes fluttered open and she looked across at Sam and gave him a soft smile.
“Sleep well?” she asked sitting up and stretching her arms above her head. Sam felt his mouth go dry and nodded in response. “Let’s go downstairs, I’m starving!”
They both climbed out of bed and headed down the stairs together. As they entered the kitchen they moved toward the counter and sat on stools opposite Buffy and Dean who were standing. Buffy silently poured coffee into a cup in front of her before passing it to Dean who followed suit. She then added sugar before passing the bowl to Dean. She stirred it as he added sugar and stirred and at the same time, they pushed the mugs in front of their siblings. Sam raised an eyebrow to Dawn who shrugged.
Buffy then moved off to the side pulling two bowls out of a cupboard and reaching for a box of cereal. Dean moved to the fridge and withdrew the milk and stopped at the cutlery drawer taking out two spoons. They moved efficiently around the kitchen and returned to the counter at the same time. Neither said a word, nor looked at the other.
Buffy separated the two bowls and poured cereal into each before sliding them to Dean. Dean added milk and the spoons before placing them in front of Dawn and Sam. Buffy returned the cereal and pulled out two small plates as Dean returned the milk and took two pieces of toast out of the toaster and brought them to the counter as Buffy returned with the plates. She passed a plate to him as he dropped the toast onto her plate and both simultaneously reached for butter knives before buttering their toast.
Buffy and Dean both took a bite out of their toast as they looked up at Dawn and Sam who were staring at them with raised eyebrows.
“What?” Buffy asked with a mouthful of toast. Sam looked over at Dawn and they gave each other suppressed smiles.
“Nothing,” they replied in unison before dipping their spoons into their bowls and eating their cereal.
~
The five occupants climbed out of the car and Buffy nodded to Dean. Nodding back, he grabbed Sam and they disappeared behind a row of trees. Buffy moved silently in the opposite direction, Dawn’s footfalls reassuring as the moved closer to the mansion. She found it somewhat eerie to be back in the same place she was nearly killed the night before but she pushed it aside. She needed to keep her head in the game if she was going to protect Dawn and stop an apocalypse. Buffy ducked behind a large boulder and Dawn and Owen crouched on either side of her.
“How do you want to get there?” Dawn asked.
Buffy scanned the lawn. There was nobody in sight, demon or otherwise, and no movement from inside. She shrugged.
“Run?” Dawn rolled her eyes and Owen grinned. “Dean and Sam are approaching from the other side so it’s really our only option. I mean, there’s better cover there so it won’t be as big an issue for them.”
Seeing no time like the present, Buffy leapt to her feet and began sprinting across the lawn. Somewhere behind her she heard Dawn and Owen running as well. It was only when Owen cried out in pain that she stopped and turned. She saw large iron jaws clamped around his ankle and she realised with startling clarity and horror that it had been a trap. Her head swivelled around to catch sight of Dawn. Dawn was a few metres from her and moving toward Owen; she didn’t see the vampires moving out from the trees but Buffy didn’t see the demons moving out from the mansion behind her.
Dawn glanced up and each sister saw a look of panic on the other’s face. Before either could turn around to assess the danger personally posed to them, Dawn felt a number of hands grabbing her, one pressing a cloth to her face. The fumes on it burnt her nostrils and she tried to hold her breath as she struggled but the fumes invaded nevertheless. Tears welled up in her eyes as they too burned and as the world started fading she noticed Buffy turning around, an arrow sticking out of her back, before she crumpled to the ground.
Buffy tried to ignore the sharp pain in her back as she tried to look for Dawn again, chastising herself for taking her eyes off of her sister, but the pain was great as the muscles tried to compensate and her eyelids grew heavy. She barely saw the demon standing above her as her eyes closed and she succumbed to the darkness.
~
Buffy forced her eyes open and glanced around the room she was in. It appeared to be a dining room but the furniture had long since been trashed. There was a body across the room, lying on the floor facing the wall and Buffy didn’t need to get any closer to know she was dead. She could only assume she’d been one of the former occupants of the house. Buffy couldn’t see anyone else in the room and one glance outside told her that dusk had already approached. The last rays of sunlight filtered through the tattered curtains and Buffy let out a deep breath, determined to see the glass as half full: at least the ritual wasn’t going down now.
She tried to remove the bonds from her hands but the sharp edges of the arrow still embedded in her back caused her to gasp in pain. Closing her eyes and gritting her teeth, she pulled her hands apart and felt the thin rope snap. Obviously they’d thought that an arrow to the back was gonna stop her from trying to reach her sister in time and that proper rope was an unnecessary burden. That would be their loss.
Buffy saw a shadow move in front of the French doors to her left and she got out of her chair as best she could. Standing beside them, she slowed her breath as the handle softly turned and the door opened. Her fist flew out but she pulled it back when she saw the familiar leather jacket. Dean ducked and turned before pulling Sam inside and softly shutting the doors.
“What happened?”
“Trap. Owen was taken down first before they got Dawn and me. I don’t know where either of them are.” Sam stepped toward her but Buffy merely turned around. “Get it out,” she ordered.
Sam shook his head. “I can’t Buffy. It’s an arrow; you can’t just pull them out. If I do, it’s gonna cause more damage and you’ll likely bleed out.”
Buffy glared before turning to Dean. “Pull it out.”
“Sam’s right. If you bleed out, we’re down one more player.”
“I’m not walking around with an arrow sticking out of my back. If you don’t pull it out, one of them will.”
Dean pulled out a pocket knife and flicked the blade up. It made a sharp crack before his gaze levelled with hers.
“I’ve got nothing to dull the pain.”
Buffy stepped closer. “Just get it out.”
Dean lit a match under the blade and ran it along the length. As the match burned down, Sam tore a bigger hole in her shirt and winced as he saw the inflamed skin around the arrow. Dean dropped the match and pushed the knife straight into the hole. He simultaneously cauterised the skin and pulled out the arrow, causing Buffy to let out a small groan in pain. Her knees buckled and she knelt heavily on the ground letting out deep breaths and trying to clear her vision.
Strong arms lifted her up and Buffy took a moment to lean against Dean, drawing her strength together before looking up at him with grateful eyes. He gave her a soft smile before a noise outside the doors drew their attention. All three saw shadows moving past the doors and they crept forward. Dean opened a door silently and peered out.
“Thurman,” he said as he turned back to them, “looked like he was in bad shape.”
Buffy took a deep deliberate breath before walking further into the room. She stopped and spun toward them. “Go after him and get him out. I’ll go after Dawn.”
“You said you didn’t know where she was,” Dean countered.
“I don’t, but I’ll find her.”
“Buffy, you’re injured, you can’t go out there alone. Why don’t we all go after Thurman and then find Dawn?”
“He’ll slow us down further. I’m almost positive he’s got a broken ankle so he can’t walk out - you both need to go after him. I have to find Dawn before they start the ritual.”
“Buffy- ”
Buffy stalked toward him. “Tell me you wouldn’t do the same thing,” she whispered, almost growling, “Tell me you wouldn’t go after Sam.”
She saw the hurt flicker across his eyes at the low blow before they hardened in acceptance. He grabbed her forcefully, pulling him toward her in a punishing kiss before releasing her and opening the door. He motioned for Sam to leave and Sam offered her a small smile before walking carefully out the door. Dean stopped at the doorframe and looked back over his shoulder, his eyes briefly meeting hers.
“Don’t die.”
And then he was gone. Buffy closed her eyes in both emotional and physical pain, taking in a deep breath before looking back at the partially opened door. Dawn. Dawn was her focus now. She hadn’t let Dawn go before and she was no more inclined to now. She steeled herself and walked out of the room, glancing both ways before picking the route that screamed of demon activity.
~
Dean and Sam watched as a demon exited the room, closing the door behind her. She looked to the left before turning to the right and disappearing around the corner. Dean nudged Sam and they moved quickly to the door, opening it and stepping inside. Two vampires looked up in surprise before baring their teeth and snarling at the Hunters. Dean and Sam quickly pulled out a knife each and squared off against their attackers.
Dean let himself get hit twice before seeing the opening he was waiting for. He lashed out with an uppercut to the jaw before bringing up the sword and decapitating the vampire. There was a small look of surprise before the vampire disintegrated into dust and Dean stepped forward to see Owen lying propped against the far wall. Owen half smiled before casting a glance at Sam.
Dean moved forward and assessed his friend’s injuries. He definitely had a broken ankle; Dean could see all the way to the bone on his right ankle and considering how Owen was leaning to his left, he’d probably have some broken ribs as well.
“Can you move?”
Owen nodded and put his arm around Dean’s neck as Dean helped him stand. He stood on one foot and winced in pain. Dean looked over at Sam and saw him decapitate his foe, the body falling uselessly to the ground as the head rolled slightly toward Dean and Owen. Dean raised an eyebrow and looked at Sam. Sam shrugged.
“Guess he’s one of the ones that doesn’t.”
Dean nodded in Owen’s direction and Sam came to hold him up on the other side. All three walked carefully out the door and down the hall. Sam saw the door that he and Dean had entered in and led them out toward it. Once outside, Sam and Dean looked around for any vampires or demons. Seeing the all-clear, they began walking Owen to the Impala until Sam felt Dean stop. Dean looked back at the house before looking at Sam.
“I’ve gotta go help her. We can’t let this play out the same.”
Dropping Owen’s arm, he raced back toward the house. Sam shifted Owen’s weight and began walking faster to the Impala.
~
As Dean walked toward the main lounge room he heard sounds of battle. He stealthily pulled out his knife and advanced. As he turned the corner, he saw Buffy’s sword strike that of an opponent’s before she jumped in the air, avoiding the sword aimed at her feet. Dean swung into action and attacked a vampire who was watching from the sidelines. Taken by surprise, he quickly turned to dust and Dean moved onto the next.
Buffy spun, her sword aimed at the demon’s throat when it was blocked by a sword. The demon smiled before backhanding her. Misjudging the next swing, Buffy failed to see the demon kicking out her foot until it was too late. The foot pushed her off-balance, causing her to hit the ground on her knees. She felt the handle of the sword hit her back wound punishingly and she cried out in pain before pushing the demon back and standing shakily to her feet.
Buffy heard her name being called out across the room in panic and turned to see Dean decapitate a vampire and start advancing toward her. The minute lapse in concentration cause the demon to grin as she lashed out, the tip of her sword piercing Buffy’s shoulder. Buffy saw Dean begin running toward her before another demon stepped in his path, attacking him with a mace. She drew her own sword up to defend against other blows but saw the handle on a path to connect with her head. Only having a second to move, Buffy turned her head but the sword’s aim was still true and it connect with her temple. The force pushed her backward and she barely heard the crack of her head hitting stone before everything went dark.
~
Sam ran around the corner and quickly surveyed the room before him. He could see Buffy in front of the fireplace, just as he had in his vision, with blood covering the stone face. He couldn’t tell from this distance if she was alive or not but he could see Dean fighting a Sisterhood demon. Not wasting anymore time, Sam turned and headed for the stairs, taking two at a time. He looked to the left and saw a large closed door and moved toward it.
Opening it carefully, he poked his head inside and could see Dawn at the far end of the room. Dean had only had mere seconds to untie Dawn before a demon stepped out from a side room. Sam quickly began untying her ropes, trying not to further injure her bloodied wrists and kept an eye out to his left. As the last knot loosened, Dawn’s body slumped forward and he moved to grab her before she fell.
The door at the far end opened and Sam saw Dean’s head poking through. Seeing his brother and Dawn, he rushed forward but Sam’s glance to the left had him rethinking his strategy as a shadow moved along the wall closer to them. Dean gripped his bloodied blade tighter as he moved along the wall. As the demon stepped out behind Sam, Dean leapt forward and slit her throat. Her hands rushed up to stem the flow of blood and Dean simply stepped back as she fell face forward onto the floor.
“You okay?”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, let’s just get out of here.”
Dean headed for the door as Dawn stirred. She opened her eyes to see Sam’s concerned ones staring back at her. “Buffy?” she asked.
Sam looked over toward Dean for a response but he’d already disappeared out of the room. Sam placed Dawn on her feet. She took a moment to steady herself before she began walking out of the room, keeping hold of Sam’s hand as she moved out in search of her sister. They saw Dean running into a room and they hurried down the stairs. There were demon bodies everywhere and as they turned the corner, Sam and Dawn watched as Dean knelt down and placed his fingers to her neck.
Dawn felt the pit of her stomach drop as Dean hung his head before picking her up in his arms. Buffy was cradled against Dean’s chest, her blonde hair falling over her face and Dawn watched as her hand hung limply at her side. There was blood everywhere, especially at the back of her head where it had matted her hair. Dean locked eyes with her.
“She’s alive.”
Those two words reenergised Dawn and she gave him a brilliant smile. “Let’s go.”
As the Impala pulled away, there was a loud bang and the sky momentarily lit up before black smoke filled the air. Dean looked back in the mirror to see flames licking the sky over the surrounding trees but as he looked back to the road before him, his gaze fell on his three injured passengers. This night had been hard and almost quite costly. He stared at the road the entire drive back, oblivious to the conversation as he became lost in his thoughts.
As the Impala pulled up to the curb, Sam quickly climbed out and helped Owen up to his house. Owen had asked to go straight home, insisting he had a friend who was a doctor and had treated all of his prior injuries on the job. Dawn climbed out after Owen and gave a cursory glance back at her sister before seeing Dean. She gave him a small smile, closed the door and headed up to the house.
Dean opened the back door and bent down to look at Buffy. He brushed a lock of hair away from her face before pressing a small kiss to her forehead. He’d done a lot of thinking on the drive back.
“I’m sorry baby,” he whispered as he brushed his thumb over her lips. He gave her one last look, memorising every detail before standing up and lifting her from the car.
As he walked into the front door he could hear Dawn and Owen arguing good-naturedly in the kitchen. Dawn was insisting he let her take a look at his injuries, even just the simple ones, and he kept swatting her hands away. Dean climbed the staircase and entered Buffy and Dawn’s room. He laid her gently on the bed before walking out and seeing Sam entering their room.
Sam pulled a first aid kit out from his duffle and cleaned the superficial wounds, keeping one eye on his brother. Dean had been oddly silent in the car and Sam knew something was wrong. Dean pulled his duffle out from under the bed and began packing all of his clothes into it.
“Pack your stuff,” Dean ordered without turning around.
Sam frowned. “Dean?”
“Pack. Your. Stuff,” he enunciated.
Sam closed the box and stood as he realised what Dean was asking. He squared his shoulders. “I can’t let you walk away from her again, Dean, she doesn’t deserve it.”
Dean turned around angrily and shoved Sam into the wall behind him. “No, Sam, I’ll tell you what she doesn’t deserve. She doesn’t deserve to watch me die. I won’t let her. Now pack your crap or I’ll leave you behind.”
He let go of Sam forcefully, pushing him back into the wall slightly as he turned back to his bag. Sam sucked in a deep breath. He knew Dean wouldn’t even say goodbye; he couldn’t say goodbye to everyone but Buffy.
“Dean, I know it will be hard but don’t you think she has the right to decide for herself?”
Dean remained quiet and Sam thought he was going to ignore him. Dean’s muscles had tensed and he turned around slowly.
“She nearly died because of me.”
Sam frowned. “What?”
“Today. She went down and I called out to her, threw her off her game and it gave the demon the chance to take her down. I couldn’t get to her in time.”
“Dean…”
“Just stop Sammy. I know that when I die, she’s gonna want to be there. I don’t want her to watch me die nor do I want her to try and stop it.” Dean turned back around and zipped his duffle. “I won’t let her sacrifice herself for me.”
“But you can make the sacrifice yourself?”
Sam and Dean both turned toward Dawn who was standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. She had an incredulous look on her face but her eyes had darkened in anger. Dean stepped forward furiously.
“Fine, I’ll take her with me. She can unsuccessfully try to stop me from dying and Sam can bring back her body for you. Would that make you happy?”
“Don’t be an idiot! She’s more than capable of making her own choices, so let her. She loves you, Dean, she loves you!”
“And I love her!” he yelled. Dean turned away from Dawn and took a deep breath before picking up his bag and lugging it over his shoulder. “That’s why I’m gonna make this decision for the both of us.” He looked over his shoulder at Sam. “If you’re not in the car in five minutes, I’m leaving without you.”
Dean walked past Dawn and out the door. They could hear his heavy footsteps on the stairs and Dawn turned her angry gaze on Sam.
“Dawn,” he began, “I’m, I’m sorry.”
“You’re going with him.”
It was a statement, not a question and it made Sam feel even guiltier. He turned back to his bag and put the first aid kit inside. The sound of the zipper was so final and it brought Dawn further into the room. He looked over at her and saw the hurt look on her face.
“Please, please stay. Make Dean stay.”
“Dawn- ”
“This is going to break her!”
Tears fell down her face and Sam drew her in, holding onto her as she cried. Her petite body shook against his and he pressed a soft kiss into her hair. Her fingers clenched his shirt and he closed his eyes in pain. Peeling her fingers from his shirt, he turned away from her and picked up his duffle. Sam turned back to her and paused, indecision etched across his face, before he pulled her toward him and pressed his lips softly against hers.
Breaking away, Sam saw another tear trail down her face and he brushed his thumb over it as she opened her eyes. He tried to convey as much sorrow over the decision as he felt before walking away from her and down the stairs. The Impala had already been started and Sam threw his duffle on the backseat and climbed in, his door barely closed before Dean sped away, desperate to put some distance between himself and his hurt.
~
Buffy opened her eyes slowly and groaned as her headache came back in full force. She took a moment to notice her surroundings and her face landed on Dawn’s. It was filled with sorrow and Buffy tried to see if there was any grief in her eyes. Seeing none, and the absence of Dean, Buffy’s heart broke.
~Fin.
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