(9/15/2017) There are a lot of critiques regarding the transformation of Buffy lore into Supernatural lore. I don't mind, but hey, it's my thang; I just like doing something different. One thing I will say is that none of the Buffy characters will be underpowered in any way. Trust me, when Glory comes about there's no question she'll kick everyone's butt.
Did anyone else know Mrs. Tran voiced Amy Wong from Futurama? Osric Chau's cosplay during that Hillywood video makes so much more sense now.
Thank you thedarkpokemaster, jkmp28, camagassi72, RHatch89, demon19027, Sage of Wind Dragons, and Sal the guest dude for the reviews! And if you favoriters and followers leave a note you get popplers!
January 2008
Christmas came and went, marked with Buffy's brothers making the haul to California to spend it with her and her mother. They provided the ham and Joyce cooked it to perfection. The highlight was Dean polishing off an entire pecan pie by himself, much to the amusement of his siblings.
Buffy brought up Castiel's weird visit during dinner. They all agreed that it was most likely Castiel being Castiel and who knew why angels did what they did?
A few weeks passed during which Sam and Dean took a few standard hunts (a ghost in Michigan and a werewolf in Houston) while desperately seeking for more seals. Their sister enjoyed some lazy, noneducational days interspersed with nightly slaying. Faith came out of her shell and joined her most evenings. They never quite approached a friendship but the pair managed to cement a pleasant working relationship. Despite the looming threat of Lilith freeing Lucifer the days passed normally (at least as far as they were concerned).
Then one Thursday evening Ruby suddenly appeared in Angel's mansion towing a skinny, bewildered young red headed woman and "normal" headed for the hills.
"Angel?" Buffy cried as she burst through the front door. "I got your voicemail."
The vampire in question was standing in his living room, arms folded, facing a familiar brunette and her companion. "It's fine, Buffy," he said calmly. "Your brothers are on their way."
"What are you doing here?" the Slayer snarled at Ruby.
"Helping her," she explained.
"And she is…?"
"Anna Milton," the woman said quietly. She twisted her fingers nervously. When she looked at Buffy, she gasped.
"What?" The girl patted her own face. "Do I have a humongous zit or something?"
"Your face! Is she a demon?" Anna fearfully asked Ruby.
"No, she's… something else," came the demon's uninformative reply. She sighed, exasperated. "Look, it took me a lot of energy to get her here and I need some rest." Ruby turned towards Angel. "Don't forget the wards and salt. Who knows how many demons are on our tail." The vampire nodded as the hellspawn headed for the hallway, ostensibly to find a bed.
"Will someone tell me what the heck is going on?" Buffy asked, her hands flying up and then down.
"Come on," Angel said. "I'll explain while we do the salt. Your brothers put up most of the demon wards last time they were here. Hope Ruby doesn't wander into any traps," he added to himself.
It turned out that Anna Milton had some sort of strange power that allowed her to both hear the angels and see a demon's true face. The source of her abilities was unknown but it made her a target. While unnecessarily incarcerated at a mental institution (which Buffy greatly sympathized with), demons had begun to pursue her. She'd taken refuge in her father's church but a hellspawn with great power had overcome the sanctity of sacred ground and had nearly taken her. Only the presence of the Winchesters and Ruby saved Anna from whatever it was the demons intended.
Buffy's brothers were coming from Ohio where Anna's family had moved and settled after a few years of living in Ventura. After the Slayer called and ensured that they were both fine and on their way, she contacted Giles and Faith. The Watcher began researching possible answers to Anna's abilities and Faith took temporary residence at Angel's mansion in order to bolster their defenses.
In the meantime, Buffy went to school, filled in the rest of the Sunnydale group about the situation (sans Cordelia who, post Xander-breakup, had resumed her old supercilious ways), convinced her mother to go out of town for the weekend, and prepared for the inevitable confrontation.
"Why am I here?" Xander asked worriedly.
"To help," said Oz.
"With what exactly?"
The other boy hesitated. "Moral support," he finally replied.
They were all waiting in Angel's dining room for Buffy's brothers to arrive. Sam had called to say they were an hour or so out and that Dean really, really wanted dinner. Giles, the teenagers, and Anna partook of pizza while Ruby had gone out and gotten burgers and fries for both herself and Dean.
"I thought demons didn't, you know, eat," Willow said curiously.
"Don't," Ruby replied. She shoved another French fry into her mouth. "I just like fries. Not like Hell has a McDonald's."
"Oh. I guess that's true."
"If it did," Xander inserted, "I bet there'd be nothing but fish sandwiches."
A familiar engine's rumble floated in from the window. "Hey, B," Faith called from where she was keeping watch. "It's your bros, Sexy and Sexier."
"Ew," Buffy told the other Slayer as the Impala's doors creaked and shut. A muffled conversation took place between the two men before they turned the front door's handle and strode inside.
Buffy plowed into Sam with an enormous hug of greeting before turning to Dean and squeezing tight. She let go just in time to see her elder brother attempting to hide a wince. "Uh oh. What happened?"
"We sort of jumped out a window," Sam said.
"'Sort of'?" Dean repeated incredulously as Ruby tossed him his bag of food. "Dude, that's exactly what we did."
"Did you two get a hold of my parents?" Anna wondered anxiously as she approached. "I've-I've been calling them and they must be totally freaked."
Sam and Dean exchanged consternated looks. "Anna," Sam said hesitantly. The others had gone completely silent. "Your parents…"
"What about them?"
Sam's face bore a mixture of grief and trepidation. "I'm sorry."
"No. They're not—"
"I'm so sorry."
Anna let out an anguished moan and crumpled to her knees. Buffy and Sam both knelt down with her as Dean tossed a clanking duffel bag onto the couch. "Why?" the woman cried. "Why is this happening to me?"
The others ate as quietly as they could while Anna sobbed (with the exception of Ruby; she rather noisily shook her bag and fished out a heretofore hidden morsel). Buffy was able to wrap sympathetic arms around the woman for a few minutes before being thrust back by Anna's hands. "They're coming," she gasped.
Pizza slices were dropped and weapons grabbed. Not being particularly handy with weapons, Willow, Oz, and Xander made do with holy water bottles while Giles joined Sam and Dean in grabbing guns from their bag. The rest (Angel, Buffy, and Faith) had daggers of various lengths. Anna, having no combat abilities whatsoever, retreated into the hallway.
"My knife," Ruby demanded, her hand outstretched to Dean.
"Uh… about that…"
"You're kidding."
"Hey, don't look at me!"
"Thanks a lot," Sam groused.
"Great," Ruby said sardonically as she grabbed an extra Bowie. "Just peachy. Impeccable timing guys, really."
Whatever snappy response was forthcoming was cut off by wings stirring the air. The expected demons were absent; it was Castiel with another angel in tow. This one's vessel was an imposing black man wearing an impeccable business suit. His expression made no effort to conceal the distaste he had for his present company.
"A stain," said the newcomer as he gazed at Ruby, "two abominations," he directed towards Sam and Angel, "and you two… things," came the conclusion.
An offended Faith cried, "What the fuck, man?" as Buffy asked her brothers, "Uriel?"
"Uriel," Dean confirmed.
"Charmed, I'm sure."
"You here to get the demons off our back?" Dean queried of Castiel.
"We're here for Anna," replied the angel.
"Why?" asked Sam.
"Out of the way," snapped Uriel. He was brought up short by a tiny blonde pointing a gleaming blade at his heart.
"I think my brother asked you a question," Buffy growled.
"She has to die," came Castiel's answer.
"Why? Because she can hear you guys gossiping? Seems kinda overkill."
"It is none of your concern."
"Don't worry," Uriel said, his lips wrenched into an amused smirk. "I'll kill her gently."
Before anyone could stop her, Buffy's fist snapped up at the angel's jaw. Uriel staggered a few steps with a nearly comical look of surprise. He exchanged an furious look with his fellow angel before advancing on the Slayer.
Sam, Dean, and Giles fired their guns at Uriel as Faith moved to cut off Castiel. "Hey there, handsome."
"Leave," the angel warned. "This has nothing to do with you."
"Well, if B's involved then I'm involved. Slayers kinda gotta stick together, y'know?"
Faith threw her first punch at Castiel as Uriel slammed his fist into Buffy's face. She shook off the blow and drove a punch into Uriel's abdomen. Whereas a normal opponent would have been knocked from their feet, the angel merely grunted. He was, however, taken aback at being jumped upon from behind by one overreaching teenage boy.
As Xander tried to jam his fingers into any of Uriel's facial orifices, Willow snuck up as well as she could and cracked a vase on Castiel's head. He turned around, unharmed but indignant, causing the red headed girl to squeak, "Um… sorry?"
The trenchcoated angel tapped Willow on the forehead and she slumped to the ground, unconscious. Faith tried to resume their pugilistic discussion and was treated to the same. Before he could do it again to anyone else, however, Castiel was tackled by a snarling Angel and lost his footing.
Dean had joined his sister in throwing punches at Uriel. Fortunately the angel's maneuverability was still hampered by Xander's persistent hands and they both managed to get in a few good licks. Sam had trained his gun on the celestial intruders but feared to shoot lest he hit one of their own. In the midst of the melee, Oz and Giles slithered over to Willow and Faith and dragged them from harm's way.
As the blows to Uriel's abdomen were doing little to no damage, he decided to be rid of the literal monkey on his back. He wrenched the boy's leg from his waist and hurled him across the room.
Xander crashed into the remains of their dinner, as Uriel cracked a fist into Buffy's jaw. She sat down heavily, blood tricking down her lip, as the angel reached out with one hand and grasped Dean's neck. "I've been waiting for this," he growled, an eager grin on his face.
Before Uriel could indulge in a violent release of tension, a bright light began emanating around both him and Castiel. The pair grimaced in pain as the flashes began to grow in intensity. Their wings illuminated the surfaces behind them for a brief moment before their forms were swept from the room.
Angel's face reverted as he picked himself up off the floor. "I smell blood."
"Here," called Ruby from the hallway. Sam hurried over and found the demon helping Anna cradle her hand. Across the woman's palm was a deep, self-inflicted slice.
"Get a towel!" Sam called back to the general group.
"What did you do?" Buffy demanded of the demon as she came up behind her brother.
"Hey, I didn't do anything," Ruby countered. "I was making sure Anna was protected from those dicks when she goes and cuts herself." The demon jerked her head at the mirror.
The siblings looked up and beheld a sigil painted in Anna's blood. Three shapes (the top triangle being the only recognizable one) were set equidistant around a circle. Within that was another, angular symbol. "Are they gone?" Anna wondered quietly as Giles approached with a cloth to bind her wound.
"Yes. Did you kill them?" Buffy asked.
"No. I sent them away… far away."
"How?"
"That just popped in my head. I don't know how I did it. I just did it."
"Well, blood gushing grossness aside looks like we owe you a thanks. So… thanks."
Anna gave the Slayer a tremulous smile before hissing in pain as Giles tied off her wound. Buffy left them to their ministrations and went to check on Xander. Dean was gingerly helping the boy off of the table. A mass of cheese and sauce peeled off of his back. "Kid's okay," Dean told his sister, "other than smelling like Pizza the Hutt."
"What about you?" Buffy asked as Xander blearily shook his head.
Dean frowned down at her. "I'm fine." He gently put his hand under her chin and tilted her head over slightly. "I'm not the one sportin' the bruise. You sure that dick didn't break anything?"
Angel came up behind them, worried. "Buffy?"
Dean left the vampire to coddle his sister and headed for Sam. "Now what?" he grumbled. "Demons want Anna for something or other and angels want to crucify her."
"Rock and a hard place, yeah." Sam tapped Giles on the shoulder. "You know any psychics in the area?"
"Perhaps," replied the Watcher. "What for?"
"I think maybe we could use one to get some answers."
Wearily, Anna used the wall to get to her feet. "Answers about me, correct?" she postulated.
Sam nodded. "Might as well figure out why they want to kill you. Unless you can tell us…?"
"Tell you what?" Anna asked, her eyes wide with tears. "Tell you why my life has been leveled? Why my parents are dead? I don't know. I swear. I would give anything to know."
Giles fumbled around his pockets before locating his phone. "I'll make a few calls."
By the time Willow and Faith woke up, the psychic had arrived. It turned out to be an old acquaintance: Pamela Barnes, the woman whose eyes had been seared by Castiel. She had apparently been in the area for an unrelated job on the Hellmouth. The outspoken brunette stumbled in, pretended to be severely handicapped by her blindness, then unerringly reached out and pinched Sam's rear end.
While Pamela sat next to a prone Anna and prepared her to be hypnotized, Xander, Willow, and Oz retreated to the courtyard. The three teenagers peered anxiously at the gathering that remained indoors. "Anyone else totally freaked out about all this?" Xander asked.
"To put it mildly," said Oz.
"You know, things were crazy enough with Buffy being the Slayer and all this Hellmouth crap. With her brothers around it's like the weirdness goes up a thousand percent."
"It's not their fault," Willow said. "I mean, it's not like they asked to die and go to Hell and all that stuff."
"Gotta admit though," Oz inserted, "things do get more intense the second they show up."
Xander sat down on a stone bench. "I'm just worried we're going to be the meat smashed inside of two pieces of bread named Heaven and Hell."
Willow sighed. "I wish I could fight or shoot a gun or have psychic powers or, you know, be useful. That's it," she said definitively. "After this I'm going to be down with the witchiness. I'm going to be doing the spell-block tango. And not a single tall, handsome hunter is going to stop me."
"I feel like I should be jealous," Oz murmured.
From inside the house, Anna gave a piercing scream. The three teenagers gaped as her body arched up against the couch and she clawed helplessly in the air. "Poor Anna," Willow said anxiously.
Her sympathy vanished in an instant as what light bulbs remained after Castiel and Uriel had been banished popped and shattered, including the one hanging over Willow's head. She let out a frightened shriek as Oz covered her with his body. Recalling that Buffy had mentioned that random lightning strikes were becoming somewhat of a regular occurrence the trio thought it prudent to hurry inside.
"Anna?" a concerned Pamela was asking. "Are you all right?"
"Thank you, Pamela," Anna replied. She was sitting up on the couch, her back almost unnaturally straight. Her voice was oddly different; more calm, more self-assured. "That helps a lot. I remember now."
"Remember what?" wondered Sam.
"Who I am." With a steely look in her eyes that certainly had not existed a mere hour before, Anna gazed around at the gathering and declared, "I'm an angel."
It turned out that Anna had voluntarily removed her Grace, the source of an angel's power, and had, quite literally, Fallen from Heaven. Her decision to abandon her post was tantamount to treason and she'd been immediately branded for death.
At one time she'd been Castiel and Uriel's superior. Their duty had been to watch over Earth in God's absence. That assignment had been her downfall; held up against the blind obedience and apathy of her fellow celestials the capriciousness of humanity was magnificent. She wanted to feel.
More than the problem of her ubiquitous heavenly death sentence was the fact that the demons were in relentless pursuit. "She's a flesh-and-blood angel that you can question, torture," explained Ruby. "That bleeds." Moreover, the demon that was leading the search, Alastair, was powerful enough to overcome sacred ground and Sam's exorcising abilities.
At that point in the conversation, Dean had blanched and left the room and Pamela had announced that she was leaving. Now. Prior experience told her that messing around with the powers of Heaven could have dire consequences.
Ruby disappeared and reappeared after several minutes. She handed out hex bags that would hide them from either side in the conflict. This meant that it was safe for the teenagers to leave. As Giles arranged for Pamela's transportation, Sam and Anna opened his laptop and began researching possible locations for her Grace. Oz drove Willow and Xander home.
After the crowd had thinned, Angel noticed Buffy looking around, puzzled. "He's outside with his car," Angel told her.
"Is he okay?" she asked worriedly.
"He will be."
With those less than reassuring words, Buffy headed out to the driveway. She found Dean sitting on the hood of the Impala staring up at the sky. A beer was loosely held in one hand. "You know," he said as she approached, "you never really appreciate the sky until you don't see it anymore." The hunter took a swig. "Then you see it again and it don't look real. Makes you wonder if you're really here or if you're still stuck… there."
Buffy hopped up onto the hood beside her brother. "Who's Alastair?" she asked quietly.
"Hell's Grand Torturer." He drank again. "My teacher."
"You mean…?"
"Yeah." Sardonically, Dean added, "He taught me everything he knows."
Buffy allowed her brother a few moments of maudlin silence before saying, "No he didn't."
"What?"
"He didn't teach you everything. He didn't teach you how to be an evil jerkwad."
"He could have if Cass hadn't—"
"Doesn't matter!" Buffy poked her brother's shoulder. "He didn't. You're still Dean Winchester, hunter of baddies and big bro to the most awesome Slayer ever. And unless you start showing me black eyes I'm going to assume that you're still the same butthead I've always known."
Touched by her assurances, Dean reached out and gave his little sister a one-armed hug. He kissed her on her head. "And you'll always be my favorite midget."
"You smell like body odor and alcoholism."
"It's a manly aroma."
"Angel doesn't smell like this!"
"He ain't a man."
"Technically true, but I'm getting the feeling you weren't talking about his vampage."
"Hey, you two," Sam called as he trotted over. "We think we might have found where Anna's Grace landed."
"Where?" Dean asked as he released their sister and dropped to his feet.
"Desert up I–33. Bitter Creek National Refuge. Massive tree sprung up in between a bunch of cactus. Took only six months to get huge."
"All right, let's go."
"Can I come?" Buffy wondered eagerly as she slid off of the car.
"No," both her brothers immediately answered.
"Why not?"
The Winchesters exchanged perturbed glances. "No room," Sam tried. "Ruby's coming too."
Buffy's eyes narrowed suspiciously at him. Dean decided to intervene before his siblings' tenuously reconstructed bonds broke again. "Less stuff can kill Ruby than can kill you." After a moment he added, "And she's more expendable."
Mollified, Buffy said, "Oh, okay," while Sam glared daggers at his brother.
Dean ignored him. "Maybe you and the nerd squad can look up anything we can use against those feathered dickheads."
"Research," deadpanned Buffy. "Yay."
The front door squealed open and Ruby and Anna emerged. "We're ready to go," the demon announced.
Dean chortled a little to himself. "An angel and a demon'll be riding in the backseat. It's like the setup to a bad joke." He suddenly brightened. "Or a Penthouse Forum letter."
"Dude," Sam said bitingly. "Reality… Porn. Stop confusing them."
Buffy was woken up by a call from Dean at around four in the morning. "Muh-llo?" she managed to say.
"We're heading back," her brother said, quite obviously upset.
"Didn't you find the place?"
"Yeah, we found it. Huge fucking tree in the middle of nowhere."
"And?"
"And nothing. Anna's Grace wasn't there. Someone took it."
Acknowledgement : Some lines of dialogue are taken directly from the episode, "Heaven and Hell" (SPN 4.10).
