Prologue – A Winchester's Journal
The warm day seemed difficult to bear, after an entire day on the road. Even with the windows open the old Impala didn't seem to cool down. Dean has been driving to the sound of Led Zeppelin, banging with his hands in the steering wheel to the sound of the drums, and Sam was too busy reading his old books to even notice the boredom in Liz's face. She leaned her head against the window, and sigh. 'There has to be something I can do,' she though, while opening her backpack, and after a quick search inside it she took out an old black book, with the word «Elizabeth» written with pink glitter. She smiled at the sight of the journal. Her mother gave it to her
Two years ago, for her 15th birthday, with the promise of writing every week, at least. She opened it carefully, and turned the pages until her last entry, dated in the late May, with the salient light blue words "Dad's coming," under all the defragmented texts all over the page.
She picked up a pen, and closed her eyes while figuring out how to start. 'Mom' she added, with a low voice.
«I never wrote again since you died mom. I need to apologize for that. "He" took you away too soon, and I really miss you. If wasn't for Dad I would probably break down and let myself disappear. He would never let that happen, so he gave me a new direction. It's been a couple of months since I met the brothers – my brothers! – Sam and Dean. Dad never told me I had brothers. They're a little older than I ever imagine, but they are really nice to me. Dean's always messing up with me – calling me "shorty", or "kiddo", or something as bad as that, but now both just call me Lizzie, which is nice, I like it. Sam's a book nerd. He's really nice, and smart. He was studying at Stanford's, but now he's with Dean. I asked why, but they didn't answer. They're really cute, anyways. They have bright green eyes, just like Dad, and they smile just like him too.
We're always on the road; we never stayed in the same town more than a week or two. Dean drives an Impala – his biggest treasure – and he's always playing 70's and 80's Rock, which was really weird at first, but now I kinda like it!
Mom, I know what is the family business. Dad never told us, but now I know. It is the reason why they're always on the road. It's impossible to quit the family business. They never stop coming. It's an endless mission. It's our family's legacy.»
Chapter One – The Road Ahead
Two Months Ago
Tucson, Arizona
Elizabeth woke up with the annoying sound of the clock, announcing 8 a.m. in a glowing orange alarm clock. She groaned before pulling the sheets off, uncovering her body – and her pale pink pajama – and she crumble towards the window, rubbing her eyes. She looked at the trees near to the sidewalk, but he wasn't there.
Her father didn't live with her and her mother, and since she was little she looked every morning to the old trees near to the road, hoping to see there her father's old car – black, maybe? – and later, his truck. If so, it means that he would spend a week or two there, spoiling her with his loving attention. Then was time to leave again, because of his job. She didn't know what it was, he never told her, and not even to her mother, but her friend Rosie used to say he looked like a bounty hunter or something like that. When she asked him if he was a bounty hunter, he laughed so hard that she felt silly even for thinking about it. She smiled at the memory of her father's last visit, and his amazing smile that always make her feel special, even just for a few weeks every year.
Suddenly the door opened, and her smiling mom waved at her. "Liz, hurry honey, the breakfast is on the table."
"Give me a minute, and I'll be right down," she said, as her mother was leaving the room. Then Liz opened the dresser door and took out a vernal sky-blue colored dress, and to «seal the deal», her favorite brown heels – such a drama when she bought them, mom said she had bought « the devil's heels»! She pulled her light brown hair up in a ponytail and, after a final checkup in the mirror, she ran downstairs heading to the kitchen, siting in the free chair closest to the counter.
Susan looked at her daughter curiously while serving the food and smiled. "Thought you two were only studying today."
Liz looked at her clothes and then again to her mother. "Oh, this? Just wanna wear something blue today…" Suddenly a car stopped at their door and honked twice, and in response to that well known signal Liz quickly filled her mouth with her toast, and turned to walk away, only stopping at the sound of her mother's worried voice. "I don't want you to come home late, okay?"
She sighted "Don't worry mom, I won't" she turned again, but Susan insisted "How's your head? How often do you have the headaches?"
Liz gave a weak smile, covering her fading voice that persisted in appear when she lied to her mother. "Um, fine I guess…" she cleared her throat. "None in months."
Susan smiled back. She knew she was lying. "Take care, sweetie, love you."
"Lov' ya too mom," she yelled, already at the porch, not noticing her mother's face turning to concern.
It was almost eight when Liz arrived home. She knew Susan should be really mad, so she ran towards the entrance door, and entered, not without noticing the black classic car parked just a couple houses away. That car was familiar to her, but she didn't knew why, it didn't look like a car from the neighborhood.
Anyways, she didn't have time to analyze the mistirious car, she had to apologize to her mother for being late.
As she was opening the door, she felt something was wrong, so she entered carefully. She house looked empty, and she tried to turn the lights on, but the lights were out 'Great,' she whispered; she couldn't see anything properly "Mom?" she shouted, while walking towards the kitchen. As she entered the room, she stumble in something large lying on the floor, making her loose her balance and falling to the floor, where something was spread everywhere. She felt a shiver ran down her spine, as she turned to face her obstacle, but suddenly the lights came back and she saw her mother's body on her side, with her throat cut open, blood all over the floor, and now covering her dress and naked skin too. She yelled desperately, in shock, with tears running down her face.
Sam sighed, as he lost his patience "Who are they?"
Dean looked at his tired brother, and turned his attention back to the house. "Dad's old friends."
Sam knew he was hiding something, and he was ready to figure out what, when suddenly they heard an horrifying scream coming from inside the house they were patrolling, and they caught up the guns lying on the dashboard and ran towards the voice as fast as they could.
As they got inside, they walked carefully to the room with the lights on, wielding the shotguns closer, and when they got to the kitchen, they found a room covered with blood, and one wall with one inscription in blood: Welcome Back Winchesters.
As Sam searched through the house for something «unnatural», Dean kneeled close to the powerless young girl sited on the floor. "You okay? Did they hurt you, I mean?" Liz looked at him for a second for, lowering her head once more, not saying a word. Dean felt chills when he saw the girl's eyes. They looked empty, faithless. "I know how you feel, but he need to go now."
She stood speechless, motionless. Dean was losing his tranquility, so he took a gasp of air and cleared his throat. "I'm your brother, and I can't leave you here, cause the things that killed your mother will come back to finish the job, do you know what I mean?"
Sam stood at the kitchen door, not able to move. He knew Dean was hiding something since he heard the voice message John left him, but he never thought it was something as complicated as this. He was disappointed with Dean and John, for always keeping secrets from him. He put those thoughts aside, now was not the time. "I found sulfur upstairs." Then he looked at the scared girl on the floor. "She needs clean clothes," he added, while helping Liz getting up to her feet, and guide her to the first floor.
As she entered in her bathroom, Dean stood at the hallway and Sam at the room door, pulling the shotguns close to their bodies, ready to fire. "You just need a backpack, the most important and basic needs," Sam added with a higher voice, so she could hear him.
Liz came out from the bath a few seconds later already dressed up with clean clothes, and gently nodded. Then she pulled out from the wardrobe her old camping bag her dad gave her. Every summer vacations he used to pick her up and they went out camping. Then she filled it up with a pair of jeans, shorts, shirts and a couple of sweatshirts. She headed to the desk, opened a drawer, grabbing a plastic bag with money, her savings, and as she took some of her personal objects inside the bag she couldn't help but think. "How long do you know about me?"
Sam looked at her with wonder, and after a few seconds of silence he said, with a husky voice. "Just found out." She eyed him. "Where are we going?"
He gave her a small smile. "Somewhere safe."
Liz lowered her head, absorbing his answer, looking for a meaning in it. "Is Dad gonna be there?"
Sam didn't answer. He couldn't. He didn't know where John was, or if he was ok. "Liz-" Suddenly the lights faded, blinking, and Dean walked into the room brutally and said loud. "We need to go, now!" He held Liz by one arm, heading to the impala, with Sam right behind them, holding her bag in one hand, and the shotgun ready to shoot in the other. They saw nothing outside; they got inside the car and drove away, leaving a track of grey smoke behind them.
A group of people stood in the dark, watching powerless as the Winchesters went away. One of them, a young man in a blue suit, approached the girl on the front of them all, upset. "Why didn't you let us take care of them? We could have killed them just now!"
The blonde turned around, to face him. Her eyes were all black, and she didn't look too amused with the defying words of that insolent dumb demon. "John didn't come for her. How long do you think they'll be driving with «lil Miss Sunshine» there? Sooner or later they'll be handing her over to Papa Winchester and then we can take care of them all."
The male demon looked down, ashamed, and went back quickly to his position without looking at her again.
"Soon John, I'll be seeing you soon." she added, staring at the house
After 20 minutes of fast driving, Dean finally calm himself down with deep breathes and turned the radio on, but as he looked through the rearview mirror, he noticed Liz was asleep, so he lowered the sound, with a sigh. Sam looked at his sister, and back again to his brother "Where are we going?" Dean kept his attention on the road. "South Dakota."
Sam smiled. "What's in there?"
"A friend of Dad's."
Sam stopped smiling. "She's hoping to see dad."
Dean swallowed. "I know, but not for now. We need to take her to a save place." Now, that Liz knew the truth, there wasn't a save place. After what she witnessed, that would hunt her for the rest of her life. The things that killed her mother would come after her too. The only thing they could do for her was keeping her close, teaching her how to survive. They had to. She was the family, anyways. And the Winchester always got each other's backs.
Los Angeles
Buffy waited impatiently at the bus station, leaned against her car – an amazing black 70 Dodge Challenge – biting her bottom lip nervously, while Faith was on the passenger's seat, with no patience left. "I'm melting here."
Buffy sighed, smiling. "Why did you come along if you didn't want to wait?"
Faith rolled her eyes. "How could she say that it was a bad idea for Buffy's dearest goddaughter to come live with them. Then Faith's thoughts became words. "Bad idea," and Buffy simply exploded.
"What tha hell's wrong with you! You've been buggin' me the whole time; you're acting like a bored brat!"
"Sorry B, you know I like Katie and all, but bringing her into our life's maybe not a smart move, ya know? We just got back from Italy, our life's a pretty damn mess, and I just think we won't have time to spend with her, she'll feel alone."
Buffy looked at the other slayer with a fearless angry eyes, pointing her finger at her. "Listen here, she's feeling alone right now, her mother just tried to commit suicide! She's a wreck, and she needs me, cause she has no one else in the entire world… Also, she knows about our world, so we won't have to hide anything from her." Buffy backed down, calming herself down, and slightly smiled, as she tried a new approach. "You know, last Christmas she said to me you were «pretty awesome»… she really looks up to you."
Now Faith had this weird feeling urging in her, how do you call it? Oh, right, guilt, shame. "Dammit."
Buffy smiled. She knew she could always change Faith's mind. Then she turned her attention to the smiley blond girl running to them.
Chapter Two – The Turning Point
Present Day
Buffy opened another dusty box, and sighed, annoyed, shoving it to her friend "guess what, Faith, more papers" she added, with a fake look of interest. Angel asked politely for the slayers to organize the old client's cases – at least the ones that didn't get destroyed when the hotel collapsed. Faith gave her a sympathetic smile "I can handle the apocalypse a few times a year, but I can't even put one box in order" she said, pulling away the box in her front. The girls sat down on the floor, leaned against the desk, feeling the warm breeze coming from outside, and they closed their eyes, only being interrupted by the smiley girl that rushed trough the door, with a bouquet of red roses in her hand "Look Buffy, someone left it here for you!"
Buffy couldn't hide the surprised look that emerge in her face, and smiled while Katie handle her the flowers. She pulled out the card, hidden in the middle of the roses, and as she read it her smile faded away.
"What's wrong, Buffy?" Katie asked, a little surprised by Buffy's reaction to the card
"Nothing – Buffy said, pulling away her thoughts as she tried to give her a truly smile – say, do you wanna keep the flowers? You can put them in your room" she said, passing her the bouquet. The girl grabbed it reluctant, but she quickly gave in "sure, thanks!"
Buffy kept the card closed in her hands and smiled to Katie until she left the room. As the door closed, she turned to the other slayer. Faith felt a shiver by only looking at Buffy's face. She was pallid, it looked like she was going to faint, and Faith, although there was no one else in the room, she felt the need of whispering "What does the note says?"
Buffy showed her the card, and the words gave Faith the same nauseating feeling she saw in Buffy's. Welcome Home. See you tonight at the park. Lindsey
***
South Dakota
Dean stopped the Impala at the front porch of a country house, and waited. Sam eyed him "So, did we make this travel to stay in the car or what?"
Dean growl something in a low voice while helping Liz making her way out of the car, what made Sam cover a smile that emerge in his lips, as they crossed their way through the dusty path into the house. When they were one a feet away from the front door, it opened quickly and a man came out, holding a shot gun "Whatha hell do you want?"
The Winchesters were caught off guard so, as they put their hands up, Dean tried to make a friendly approach "My name is Dean Winchester and I-"
The elderly man held down the gun "I know who you are; John Winchesters sons"
Liz crossed her arms, and eyed him "And daughter!" she added, offended
The man start shouting at the brothers, mad "What in hell are you thinking, hunting with a kid on the backseat?"
Liz start rushing into the man, filled with rage "Listen here, old man, I'm almost 17 and capable of taking care of myself – and I would totally kick your sorry old ass in a heartbeat if I wanted to, so don't provoke me!"
The brothers laugh, not caring if the man was offended by her manners. But he let out a big laugh, and walk towards them "She's John's daughter alright! I'm Bobby, nice to finally met ya"
"I'm Liz Winchester"
"Let's talk inside" Bobby added, walking towards the door
***
Dean moved through the living room, outraged "Bollshit! I bet you know where he is"
"I don't talk to him in weeks, don't know where he is by now, but last time we talked he was going to Los Angeles, to talk to a connect"
"A Hunter? About what?"
"I don't know"
"Hell, doesn't matter, we'll talk to him, he might know where dad is. Don't you know anything about him?"
"His name is Angel, that's all I know"
***
Faith walked through the kitchen, in disbelieve, talking in a tone that she couldn't control "You really can't be going through with this! It's a trap!"
Buffy gave her an ironic smile "If he tries to kidnapped me, I'll yell… out loud…!"
Faith stopped in front of Buffy, and talked lower, and she tried to calm herself down "Buffy, this is serious, I'm worried about you; he might try something"
"I'm not going without a shield"
"Will you take a gun, for me?"
"You know I don't like to use guns"
Faith gave her the worried look, and loud voice, once more "You know you can't stake him, he won't puff! You need real weapons"
"I'll take a couple of hunting knifes" Buffy added, pulling them out of her jacket, with a smiled. She waited for Faith to calm down before asking her their backup plan "What do you say if someone asks for me…?"
"You've gone patrolling" Faith answered, as a grumpy young kid, what made Buffy laugh; she looked just like Dawn, when their mother was still alive
Buffy made the final arrangements as she ended the conversation "Good. Wish me luck"
***
In the summer, the park was always filled with people trying to enjoy the warm nights; kids playfully running from each others, their parents relaxing at their picnic set, and lovers walking by. Although the park was filled, the picnic tables, in the woods, where deserted. Not for long.
A vampire caught off guard was thrown into a table, breaking it into pieces. His angry face turned suddenly into horror as he saw his assaulter approaching.
Buffy slowly walked into the vampire, absorbing every second in this slay. She smiled deviously as she saw a piece of wood, from the shattered table; she caught it, and compressed it in her hand. It wasn't more than 3 seconds before the vampire jumped into her, and Buffy shoved her stake directly into his heart, and he dissolved into ashes.
Buffy released the stake and shook off the remaining of the vampire in her hands. Suddenly she felt she was being observed, so she turned her head as she saw Lindsey leaned against a tree, smiling at her "we're not so different, you know?"
Buffy smiled ironically, as she approached him "Oh, really?"
Lindsey uncrossed his arms and walked in her direction, stopping only at her side, and whispered in her ear "We have the same lust for the hunt, the kill, the chaos"
Buffy looked away, ashamed. She stepped back and passed one hand through her hair, straighten it up, as if his words had shook her "I think it's better for you not to stay long in L.A." she added, looking at him roughly "If Angel finds out you're here, he'll kill you… and I won't stop him from do it"
Lindsey let out a giggle, as he sat down in one bench, relaxed, with his arms opened in the back rests "Oh, c'mon! Are we not pals anymore?"
Buffy stayed up in his front, with her arms crossed, with the same rough expression "Hell, I can kill you myself before he finds out you're in town, guess that'll solve the problem!"
Lindsey smiled "He's different, isn't he? When I first met him it was all about saving people, but as time passed by he lost his good intentions… Last time I saw him I didn't recognize him"
Buffy stood still, not saying a word; she knew he might be right, she felt something was different in Angel. The heartbreaking silence made Lindsey feel uncomfortable. He straighten up, and his smile fade away "Don't worry, I'll lay low; I won't give you troubles"
She looked suspicious "What's going on, Lindsey?"
He stood up, and ready to walk away, but Buffy held his arm, making him stop " I know we weren't always at the same side of the battle, but sometimes you got my back and I got yours"
Buffy let out his arm, and he didn't move; he wanted to know what she was going to say. She gasped "You know I thank you for telling me that Angel needed help, for the apocalypse, and I know there's some good on you, underneath that lawyer cape… you know you can count on me for anything, don't you?"
Lindsey want to say a few things, but he wouldn't give her that pleasure "Same here, dolly"
Buffy smiled, and walked away. Lindsey stood a little more until he lost Buffy's sight in the woods, then walking the opposite way, not noticing the blond vampire appearing in the shadows of the trees.
Spike waited for Lindsey to walk away, and he light up a cigar. He had a devious smile and an a terrible though "Oh, Angel is gonna love to hear about this"
***
Angel sat at his dusty desk. This new office wasn't bad at all, although there wasn't special glass for vampires, big conference rooms, or many terrified employees working at his commands. He really wanted a cup of coffee right now, but there was no smiley Cordys or silly blonde vampires. He looked around and finally let out in a whisper "god, I miss Harmony"
"Me too mate. She was stupid as hell, but a good vampire though" Spike sat in the chair in front of Angel's desk. Angel eyed him, for a second "Why are you still here?"
"Well, I wanted to go, but now blonde's in here, so I'm not moving" he deepen his body even more in the chair, and banged on the seat with his arms, shouting a defying smile at his rival. Angel knew what he meant. He knew it well. But what Spike didn't know was the conversation that Buffy and Angel did, when Buffy decided to stay, after helping them in the «LA Apocalypse», as they named it.
Faith entered the office with her usual smile, but stopped at the door and crossed her arms as she noticed the mood of the two vampires "do I need to go get some leashes before you two jump into each other or do you gonna behave from now on?"
Angel rolled his eyes, as he saw the amusement in Buffy's face, as she joined them "Arguing again?"
"yeah yeah - where's Jack? He's late"
"right here, man" Jack rushed into the amount of people in the room, sitting right next to Buffy and Faith's seat "So, where's the little one?" Buffy looked at Jack, as she noticed the question was about her prodigy "Oh, Katie's outside, in the pool I think -" she cut her sentence as she noticed the impatience in Angel's face.
"They're sending someone from England" he simply added, and it was enough. He had their full attention. "I know I said he wouldn't be a part of Wolfram & Hart anymore, but I had to make an agreement with them; they'll finance our firm, but they'll send someone soon"
"How soon?" Jack asked, in his quickly and curiously way "And are we talking of a lawyer or an freaky agent?"
"I don't know, this is all they said"
"Who said?" Angel felt his throat suddenly dry, so he swallowed nervously. Buffy looked distracted from the beginning of the conversation, but still didn't matter how hard he tried to hide secrets from her, he hasn't enabled to lie to her. And probably he shouldn't. "Could you leave us alone for a few minutes? I have to talk to Buffy alone"
Faith and Jack nodded sympathetically, although Faith had to drag Spike off the room by one arm, while he grumbled in a low voice. As they left the room, a deadly silence filled the room. It took a long time for Angel to start this conversation he so desperately wanted to avoid; he decided to speak one thing at a time, so Buffy could take it without staking him "There won't be another Wolfram & Hart in L.A."
Buffy frowned "O'kay" she smiled, more relaxed "I thought you were gonna say something bad, Angel"
"Just listen" he said, abruptly "There won't be another Wolfram & Hart in L.A because they're taking over the Council; they're sending someone to control you and Faith"
"What! They can't do that! They don't have the authority"
"There's no one to oppose them. Giles said they had a secret contract signed by Quentin, long before the Council… ended" he stopped for two seconds, as he saw the disappointment on his face "That doesn't mean they're back controlling you"
"For how long, Angel, a month or two? You know, they are the bad guys"
"I know, is just… maybe he can change their minds, one by one"
"I know better. You know, when you get involved with them, they don't change. They change you. They already bought you off, a long time ago"
"You don't get to go behind my backs, talking to the enemy, and come here lecture me about treason!"
Buffy walked quickly towards the door, but stopped before leave; she had something to say before she leaves "He told me you were changed. Your enemy knew you were drawn by them, seduced with money, but I couldn't see. He's right"
***
Buffy walked through streets she had never walked before, near to the beach. The sea breeze playing with her hair gave her a sense of peace, but she couldn't forget her discussion with Angel. Who was him to judge her? After all the things he had done to her, and her friends, and to his friends. 'Whatha hell was I thinking, coming back to L.A.?'
Buffy shook her head, rubbing her neck. She needed something to keep away that thought "I
need a drink"
Dean moved his eyes quickly through the bar, scanning the crowd. He was about to give up when he noticed the blond petite girl rushing into the counter. He slowly approached her and sat next to her "Bad day at work?"
Buffy looked at him and nodded "The worst"
Dean smirked "Jobs can be a bitch. Say, doesn't your boyfriend mind you come and get drunk in a sleazy bar?" he added, with a defying expression
Buffy laugh out loud "God, do you ever get laid with those lines?"
"Most of the times I just have to say hi"
Buffy looked up at her glass, making it twirl, and she smiled "Well, you didn't said hi yet"
***
After a couple of hours talking in the bar, Dean leaded Buffy into the motel. When he first approached her, he was only thinking in a good night filled with action, but now he was deeply attracted by her.
Buffy felt Dean's eyes all over her "So, do you spend a lot of time in motels?"
"Well, I have too" Dean vaguely answered, but then Buffy eyed him "Ya know, when you're a freelancer you have too"
Buffy knew he was lying, so she laughed. Suddenly she felt his body approaching her, his head leaning and his lips searching hers. She got caught in his sweet warm embrace, in his heated kiss. As the kiss deepened, she started to feel the pressure he was making against her, so she cut the kiss. Buffy placed her hands in his chest – she never thought it would be so firm – and allowed him to lean his head against her "Hi… Do you wanna get out of here?"