because no one likes a vague disclaimer: All main characters belong to both fantasticals Joss Whedon and Eric Kripke.

Chapter I

†

There's something about supper time that seems to remind his father of the fact that Sam is gone, even though they'd hardly ever eaten together, and even when they had, it rarely felt like a family dinner.

The first six months after Sam's departure had been smoother, his father had been desperate to show how ok he was with how things stood now, and had been more easy going as a result. Dean knew it was a façade, but Winchesters never spoke of their feelings so he said nothing.

And for a while they pretty much hunted together. About three months in, John bought himself a truck and bequeathed Dean the Impala, and suddenly they no longer travelled to hunts together. Then he took off. At first for a few days, then it became weeks, and now John hunts on his own, and says he ought to do the same.

"To get some 'experience in the field'," he'd said.

Now they meet up once or twice every few weeks, catch a bad guy together, and at dinner Dean recites his recent hunts and his father gives him tips and bits of advice. And then, he's off with a promise of a phone call for their next meet up.

At first, Dean pretty much took the time off and drove the Impala to any place he'd ever wanted to go. Then his father had suggested he use the time to hone his skills instead. It hadn't sounded like an order, but it sure as hell felt like it, and the next time his dad had gone off, he began searching for his first case. He chose one that sounded like a spirit, thinking it'd be an easy start.

Of course, he'd been wrong, and had to take a week off to recover. And he realized then that digging up a grave alone wasn't the same as digging with two others.

On this particular meet, John had been difficult all through the hunt. For once, Dean was looking forward to the send off after dinner. Through the entire meal John had been terse, pushing Dean for information on his recent excursions.

Dean sensed his father was trying to fish for information on Sam, thinking that perhaps he'd come in contact with his younger brother in their time apart. But there was nothing to tell because Sam hadn't only walked away from their dad after all.

It's not until dinner is over when John slides over a folded sheet of newspaper and says, "I came across this today."

Reaching for the paper he unfolds it and notices that its the front page of this small town's paper.

'MISSING GIRL, 16, MURDERED'

Reading further, he finds out that early yesterday morning at the town's small bus depot, the girl's body had been found in the luggage compartment of a bus that'd recently been taken out of service. Hours later it was confirmed by officials to be the body of teen Sandra Owens, she'd been reported missing two months prior.

"You think it's a case?" He immediately asks his father.

He's not entirely convinced since there's no report of her being anything other than stabbed (not that they'd report gruesome details though), and she seems to have been stuffed away, which to him seems more like the calling card of a human.

"Why do you think I gave you the paper Dean?"

His father's tone is derisive, and he tries hard to remember that his dad's attitude isn't about him so much as it about trying to hide what he really feels.

"Check it out. If it is a case, deal with it. If not, then it's not. Better safe then sorry, don't you think?"

"Yes Sir." He replies without contempt, sounding only compliant.

John looks at him for a moment, his expression almost weary, then pulls out his wallet and lays a couple of bills on the table.

"Let me know what you find out." He replies before he stands.

"Will do."

Dean stands too, and reaches out to shake his father's hand. This action seems to loosen something in his dad, because he pulls Dean into a haphazard hug.

After the embrace, John shares one last look at his son, his lips turned up in a grin, though it hardly resembles what a smile is supposed to look like.

"Be careful, Dean."

After his father leaves town, he does as requested and checks out the case. As usual, the local PD find his youth peculiar, but in any case they believe his position with the State's Sheriff department, and surrender the information.

The victim had in fact only been stabbed and then dumped, but there'd been no evidence left of her attacker, and no murder weapon. As for the girl, she was last seen departing her friend's house, and her only relation to the station is that she would have walked past it to get to her home.

He checks the bus depot, but after running the EMF and asking around, he finds nothing strange about the place. He talks to the girl's friends and family, but she was well liked and 'normal', and no one seems to know anything of any help.

It doesn't all add up, but the truth is, as far as it being his kind of case, the chances seem slim to none. He checks out a few other things, but nothing pans out and he ends up leaving town a couple of days later, when he finds a case in a small town in Missouri.

†

Cleveland turns out to be a lot different than expected. As they made their trek in a dingy old school bus, leaving Sunnydale behind felt like the hardest part of starting anew. For the past seven years of her life it'd been her responsibility; she protected it through blood, sweat and tears, and now it's gone. And while Cleveland lies over its very own mouth of hell, the responsibility doesn't feel like it belongs to her.

"We can't afford to rent an apartment Buffy. We barely have enough means for the school grounds."

Looking over, she can see the expression on her little sister's face as she speaks, but thankfully Dawn turns away and misses the roll of Buffy's eyes at her reply. This is basically the only alone time they have these days, and she's not going to drop the issue yet. Not since she's finally brought it up.

It's been a few months now, and the hardest part had actually been finding a place to house the crowds of girls they'd eventually assemble here. It took every connection Giles had left, and a bit of magic from Willow to get it, but they're mostly self-sustainable now, at least in the fundamental ways.

The abandoned building they bought is mostly paid for (thanks to various contributions, one of them Angel himself), most of the food they grow it (Willow was key in this), and the girls get part-time jobs to contribute. Only the (extended version) Scoobies, Faith and herself are exempt in this; mainly because they don't really have the time.

Giles is trying to rebuild the Watcher's Council, with Dawn as a kind of understudy to him. As a decoy, Andrew is in Italy with a couple of girls who kind of resemble her, and Xander is somewhere off with a gang of slayers, looking for more like them. Willow's barely around, she travels looking for potential allies, with Kennedy in tow as 'protection'.

"That's why I'm going to get a job first."

At this, Dawn sits right up, turning on her beside light as she does so.

"You're joking right? With what time?" She says with obvious sarcasm.

Faith and her train and lead the girls, and as only two, it's a big job. While it's true she barely has the time, she's already thought of something to remedy this.

"I was thinking that maybe it's time to promote some of the others, like Rona, Vi, and Kennedy."

"Kennedy is barely here as it is. She's always off with Willow."

"Ok fine, not Kennedy. But the others."

"They've only just become Slayers Buffy. It's a lot of responsibility to put on them."

She tries not to bring up the fact that she once held the fate of the world on her own, and that this is basically babysitting a group of unruly teenagers and semi-adults.

Instead, she says, "They faced the biggest apocalypse there's ever been, and survived. I think they've proved they're more than capable."

Dawn doesn't argue, instead she seems to be contemplating the idea.

"Why do you want to leave Buffy?" She ends up asking.

She'd expected this question, but hadn't figured out a reply, thinking she'd know what to say when it finally came time. Now that is has, it takes her a few moments to find the right words.

"I don't want to leave you. It'd be great if you wanted to come with, but I'll understand if you don't. And i'll still be around, train, and everything, maybe just a little less."

Her little sister continues to gape at her, and Buffy can tell she isn't satisfied with this response.

"I just- I need my space Dawn."

She wants to say 'i'm not really needed here', but doesn't. Not because it's not true, but exactly because it is.

After they'd arrived in Cleveland, things hadn't just fallen back into old routines. For one, it was clear that she wasn't the sole leader anymore; they make decisions as a group now and though at times it makes her feel like they don't trust her judgement, she mostly feels relieved the burden isn't only on her shoulders anymore.

For another, Faith is someone she, and the others, can trust. She's no longer the same tormented girl; she's made peace with her past, and now seems to be trying to atone for it. She doesn't play the tough girl act, or the know-it-all, and consequently the Scoobies, and slayers flock to her just as they once had to Buffy. So with Faith basically leading here, at least in Head Slayer capacity, training is pretty much all she really does these days.

Dawn opens her mouth to respond, but something about her expression forces Buffy to say first, "I'll get a place close by. It won't be all that different really."

Seemingly resigned to the idea, her sister finally speaks.

"If it's what you want, Buffy. I mean, I get it, I do. But I don't think I'll be-"

"It's still going to take some time before I actually leave of course," Buffy interrupts.

"But I wanted you to know, in case you wanna come with. You don't have to say anything now. Just think about it."

She really did want Dawn to move with her, but even before she'd started to say it, Buffy already knew it wasn't going to happen. For weeks, it'd been obvious to her that Giles was soon on his way out even though he'd never said so directly. And Dawn, well she'd gotten close to him ever since they'd set up shop here. She's learning from him, and Buffy knows that if Giles leaves for England as he's bound to do, Dawn will follow.

"I'll think about it."Her sister finally replies.

She reaches out to shut the light off once more, clearly done with the conversation. Once she does so, she lies back and Buffy does the same, a kind of smile on her face.

Then out of the darkness, Dawn adds, "You should tell the others. Especially Faith."

As it turns out, the only person who has any issue with her leaving is Dawn. When she tells Faith, she's entirely unfazed about it, the girls relish in the promotion, and even Giles seems to be ok with it.

She finds a job waitressing at a nearby cafe. It's a small space, and she works with just a few other people, but the place is popular, so the day goes by fast and she makes pretty decent tips. It only ends up taking her a couple of months to save enough to get her own place, and two weeks after that to find the right one for her, though she still has to wait for the new month before she can move in.

Soon enough, she begins spending time with her co-workers outside of work, her time away from the Scoobies growing and her life is starting to feel… different. Almost as if it finally belongs to her.

There've only been a handful of times in her life when she actually felt like a normal girl, among them the 15 years before she'd been called, the day Angel became human (and she only found out about that after she'd died), and that summer.

She remembers him then, how she forgot about Angel when she was with him, and even though she barely remembers what he looks like, it was still the most normal relationship- fling, she's ever had.

†

The case in Missouri turns out to be a bust, but the night before he's about to leave, surprisingly enough, his father calls.

"I thought I asked you to let me know what you found out. About the girl."

The tone isn't pleasant, and while he doesn't expect his father to ever be cheerful exactly, he doesn't appreciate this kind of greeting. "If there was something to tell, I would have."

His father is silent for a long moment, then he asks, "you're sure?" He's more surprised at the interest then the gentle tone of his dad's voice at the question, so he only addresses that.

"Positive. She hadn't been kidnapped after all. Time of death was around the time she'd been reported missing. She was walking home from a friend's house when she was stabbed, died from the wound, and dumped in the nearby bus depot. No suspects, but no foul play either."

There's another long silence, and Dean decides to just wait his dad out. Eventually, he does.

"Are you on a case now?"

Dean doesn't want to admit that he isn't, especially since this last hunt was a dud, so he replies, "Just on my way out of one."

After he says it, he only hopes his father doesn't press for more details, as he so often does. Thankfully, he doesn't.

"I've got one for you, if you're up for it." It sounds like a challenge more than an offer, and there's little he can do to avoid stepping up to it.

"Where is it?" He asks, hoping at least that it's somewhere hot.

"Cleveland."

a/n: A big thanks to everyone following and favouriting this story! I truly appreciate it.