Anybody who knows ncsupnatfan, please send her good thoughts.
She is currently dealing with too many complex life things all at once,
and needs reminding that she's important too. Anyone who doesn't
know her, visit her profile and take a look at her stories.
(I especially recommend "Freakin' Friday", a
fic being jointly written by her and myself :)
C53
-oOo-
It was Charlie who opened the door and felt her way around the rooms that turned out to be the jackpot.
"Hey, guys? In here, quick."
Huddled in the dark, the sounds of Munchkin driven activity were nearer and clearer, mostly consisting of thumps, bumps, curses and shouts such as There's another one. Duck! Which way? Which way? Behind you! And Arrrghh! Sam flicked on his lighter and glanced at the nearest wall. Spotting what he was looking for, he reached over and lit the candles sat in a double sconce, giving just enough light for people to avoid tripping up. The room itself was a long rectangle with clusters of comfortable seating dotted throughout. Sat up against one of the lengthier walls was a series of three long, narrow wooden table tops with cupboards beneath. Merrick explained.
"We're in one of the dining rooms. Big places like this usually have three or four different rooms for eating and entertaining. This is the more informal kind. See the tables? They all get loaded down with platters filled with all kinds of fancy little bites and you fill your own plate with whatever you want. Also doubles as a shortcut for us. Handy, don't you think?"
Whilst speaking, Merrick strode to the wall opposite the buffet tables, stopping at a set of double doors cleverly constructed to look like a continuation of the wood panelled walls. Putting his ear to a door, he closed his eyes and listened, this was his kind of business. Tuning into the numbers of differing voices he could make out, he did a rough calculation of numbers, aware there would probably be more people as not all would be speaking, or screamin? Or cursing? He noted how many voices were more masculine, and how many came from females, whether the talk was stationary, or whether the voices indicated their owner was moving around, what the tone and mood of the voices were. Straightening up. He grinned at Sam whilst pulling his sword from it's scabbard.
"I think it's time for us to join a party, my friend."
-o-
Dean had been leaning "casually" with his back against the wall, definitely not using the wall to support himself, no, not at all; now however he quickly straightened up and walked purposefully over to Merrick, intercepting his younger brother on route, physically blocking him.
"Whoa! Before you two idiots hold hands and go happily skipping out there, let me take a look see. I know Sammy here ain't got a clue what the bitch or the Mage even look like, that painting back at the chapel did our Mage a whole load of favours. What about you Merrick? Have you ever clapped eyes on either of them?"
"Might have."
"Might have?"
"Maybe."
"Maybe? Not good enough! C'mon, away from the door. Let me take a quick look, make sure you're clear to go."
-o-
Opening the door a mere crack, Dean put one eye to the chink of light and peered out, just in time to see a fleeing Munchkin rush past, one hand holding the sieve helmet he wore jammed over his flat cap in place whilst he glared back over his shoulder and berated whoever was in pursuit.
"Aye ya grett ganglin' gabbitt, tha's nivver gonna catch me's pal! Tha's nivver...Oops...Ow!..Fezzin' grimmlet!...Bugger..."
"Gotcha! Yer tijji... Arrrghhh! Yer bit me!...Yer proper bit me!"
"That'll learn yers, wo'nit? Tatti-bye's ya overgrowed pugwiggle!"
"It bit me! Buggeritt, it could'a bin proper poisoned! I could'a got me some grim sort'a grotty disease! I've right 'ad enuff...I'm outta 'ere!"
-o-
Nursing his hand around the clear imprint of the Munchkin's teeth, already swollen and with signs of rapidly forming bruises, the unfortunate soldier turned around intending to re-trace his steps, only to find himself staring at a smiling Dean Winchester who stood before him with his arms loosely crossed, watching him. The soldier couldn't take his eyes off that terrible predatory smile, and he gulped.
"I'd go get that looked at if I were you, before your whole hand starts to rot...Otherwise, could spread up your arm too. Nasty when that happens!"
The soldier stared down at the slight mark on his hand, then back up at Dean.
"Wha...? Who...? Whaddya want?"
Dean's smile grew broader.
"Oh, well, since you ask; how about that sword you're carryin'?"
The soldier stared at Dean, not sure he'd heard the stranger properly.
"My...My...?"
Dean dropped his chilling smile, unfurled his arms, tilted his head on one side a little and gazed, hopefully, at the bewildered man.
"Unless?...Unless you'd rather I take it from you?"
Silently considering his options, the soldier had this idea that he was suddenly starting to feel Right proper poorly. I yam, I c'n feel it! S'proper rottin' right now, 'm sure on it! 'Ave'ta get 'ome, quick. 'Ave me mom kiss it all better! Aye, tha's what I'll best do!
His choice made, the soldier dragged off his helmet and threw it crashing to the floor before, willingly, handing Dean his sword.
"Here, s'yours...I don' wan' no more o' them proper poison boo-boo's...I'm off 'ome."
The man turned, hurriedly walking away and shedding further pieces of his armour as he left. With a swift glance around, Dean disappeared back inside the room, and straight into his brother's ire.
-o-
"So, what the Hell happened to takin' a quick peek Dean? Remember? So Merrick an' me don't just go skippin' out there? What if that guy had attacked? You hadn't got a weapon!"
Dean shrugged.
"So? You'd got my back, hadn't you?...Ok then, stop your cluckin'! I didn't see much of anything out there, this room's kinda behind and under a big staircase. Width of the stairs and the level of noise, I'd say it's the main central staircase in the entrance foyer. You can use it for cover while you get a line on where the Mage and the witch are before you make your move. One thing though Sammy, I'm serious about neither of you gettin' caught out in the open and in that hag's line of sight. Ok?"
"Dean, you can stop fussing too. They'll be fine, and anyway, I'm going to be nearby. Sam, Merrick? If possible, draw the Aunt off first, and I'd appreciate it if you could keep her from seeing me for as long...
"Excuse me? Hello? Any chance of me having a second or three of your time?"
Dorothy turned, her head immediately dipped as she avoided full eye contact in response to Charlie's cool toned, polite, boy I'm pissed off, request. Charlie jerked her head, indicating they were to move away from the others. Dorothy instinctively knew that pointing out the miniscule difference moving a few feet away from their small and unintentional audience would make was probably not in her best interests right now, so she quietly slouched off after Charlie. Choosing one of the clusters of chairs, Charlie sat herself down, noting Dorothy hesitate.
"Sit."
Dorothy sat.
"Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Hello, my name's Charlie. We have met before, only you seem to have forgotten, so let me help you out. I'm the woman who travels with you, backs you up, sticks with you, and actually gave up her world to live here with you. This joggin' your memory cells yet?...
"Charlie, we...
You remember my name? That's a good start at least. How about you try this one next? We always used to talk to each other, discuss ideas with one another, told each other if we had to go somewhere alone...
"Charlie...
...An' guess what? I kinda liked things that way...I just needed you to know that."
-o-
To Dorothy's amazement, Charlie stood up without waiting for a response, she gave Dorothy a small smile, and turned away; heading straight over to Dean. Dorothy stared, taken aback. She'd expected an argument, one involving both of them, followed by some sulking, from Charlie mainly, and maybe even a drippy tear or two, definitely Charlie's, and then sorry's, big hugs, happy smiles and see you later honey. This reaction though, was nothing like that. This one had her worried, and instantly fearful of that thing happening, the thing she sometimes had bad dreams about, the thing that was so distressing to her, she refused even to allow to fully form in her thoughts.
"Well, handsome...Looks like it's me an' you, the A team! Joinin' up again to be bad ass..er..bad people's ass kickers..or something. Ok. What's the brief, partner?"
-oOo-
