Chapter 6
"Augh!" thought Dean Winchester as he swam to consciousness. "That was not a comfortable position to sleep in." Leaning back in the chair without opening his eyes he let out a long groan as he tried to stretch the kinks out of his back.
"Have a nice rest?" A beautiful blonde asked softly.
"Uhh yeah sorry about that. We've been going full out for a while lately and our reserves were spent. Are you Buffy?" Dean asked
Letting out a giggle and a sweet smile she said, "No, I'm Tara. I'm a witch with Willow we help when and where we can."
"Pleasure to meet you Tara. Do you know where my dad is?"
"He's resting in the back. He was exhausted as well. I'm sure he'll be up soon. Would you like something to drink?"
"Coffee would be great thanks. Let me get Sammy up and I know he'd love a cup as well." Dean told the likable girl as he rose from his chair for a full body stretch before waking up his brother. "Hey." Dean said laying a hand on Sam's shoulder gently. "Time to rise and shine bro. We've got some serious explaining to do."
"Ughh!" was the first response Sam gave as he lifted his head. "Coffee" was the second.
"Coming up in a jiffy." Dean told Sam as he sat back down now assured that his brother was awake.
"Oh good your up. I'm Rupert Giles. The slayer's watcher. It's a pleasure to meet you boys. I want to thank you for your help in this matter. My slayer is already done inventory of the weapons you brought, and will keep many of them if you don't watch it." Giles said with a smirk.
"Sounds like my kind of woman." Dean answered back with a smirk. "Nice to meet you Mr. Giles. I'm Dean and sleepyhead next to me is Sam. As soon as my dad gets up Sam and I will be happy to do a round of explanations.
"Please call me Giles everyone else does. I shall go see if your father is awake yet. Please make yourself comfortable. Buffy, Xander could you come down please Sam and Dean are awake." He called to the balcony as he walked into the back of the store.
Tara came back into the room with two cups of coffee followed by a very excited Willow. "Here you go. Two cups of black coffee, I didn't know if you took cream or sugar so I left it black I hope that's okay." The shy witch murmured as she set the coffee on the table. "This is my girlfriend Willow. She's a witch as well, and an expert computer hacker."
"Pleased to meet you both." Sam said smiling at the two girls. Dean gave a nod as he was trying to drink the hot coffee as fast as possible. "Black coffee's fine. I'm Sam and the addict beside me trying to scald himself is my older brother Dean."
"Hey don't make fun of a caffeine addiction. We take our coffee very seriously around here." Came from the slayer as she walked down the stairs. The smile on her face let Sam know she was just teasing. "I'm Buffy the guy following me is Xander and the girl behind the counter is Anya. She's Xander's girlfriend and an ex-vengeance demon, so be prepared for some outrageous comments sometimes."
"Hey." Both brothers's said simultaneously.
"Heard you had fun doing weapons inventory. See anything you like." Dean flirted shamelessly with the petite blonde.
Sam's eyes rolled so far back into his head at his brother's antics it's amazing they didn't get stuck.
"Well what can I say I like things shiny and sharp." The slayer flirted back with a grin of her own. Already liking the mischievous twinkle in the other hunter's eyes.
Their banter unfortunately was cut short by the arrival of John and both Sam and Dean focused on their long lost father like two dogs seeing a cat.
Standing in the doorway looking at his two boys John Winchester was paralyzed. Out of habit he began a visual check to make sure neither boy was physically hurt. When he finished and looked into his son's eyes John said the only thing that came to mind. "Hello boys."
Dean stepped closer to his dad relief at finally finding him alive and well and answered "Dad." Which removed any hesitancy John had before and he grabbed his eldest in a bear-crushing hug. Whispering in his ear. "I'm sorry Dean. I'm so very sorry. I was trying to keep you safe."
"I know dad. I've always known." Was Dean's whispered response.
After a few minute he released his eldest and walked towards Sam. Looking into his youngest sons eyes and seeing the same pain in them as he saw when he looked in the mirror every day damn near brought John Winchester to his knees. "Hello Sammy." He said.
"Dad"
With that once again John grabbed his son and pulled him into his arms. "I never meant for this to happen Sammy." He said. "I never wanted you to lose someone to."
"It's my fault dad. I left I'm so sorry I just had to go. I get it now I get it now I'm so sorry." Came out of Sam's mouth in a rapid whisper barley making any sense. It was the broken ramblings of a lost child who needed reassurance of a parents love. Desperately seeking solace in the arms of a father he had always felt he'd failed growing up.
"My boy it's not your fault it's okay there's nothing to forgive." For once since Mary's death John didn't bother with trying to be anything but a comfort to his broken boy. Knowing that all the anger and yelling was in the past. Father and son were now bonded through fire and pain. The past was just that, it was now a time for healing. When Sam seemed to have gotten some control back John pulled away from his and cupped the back of Sam's neck keeping their foreheads touching. Reaching out with his other hand he grabbed Dean and pulled him into the loose embrace as well. The three men stood there with their foreheads touching just taking comfort in the fact that they could finally know that each other was alive and okay. Breaking away at last and turning towards the Scooby's who had remained quiet through the heart-wrenching family reunion John cleared his throat and addressed the whole group. "Boys if you've met everyone I believe you have some explaining to do."
"Yes sir." Both boys replied in unison.
"Well then everyone take a seat. I'm going to close the shop early so we won't be interrupted." Giles told them gesturing towards the table as he walked to the front of the store. When he came back in a few minutes everyone was seated and ready to hear what the two hunters had to say.
Clearing his throat Sam said "Well I guess I should start. Dean throw in anything I leave out okay?"
"Roger that Sammy." Was the succinct reply.
"It's Sam thank you." Sam said rolling his eyes and shaking his head. "Okay. I'm assuming Dad you've filled them in on the demon?" At John's nod Sam continued. "Well I'm assuming you also know that it struck again recently killing my girlfriend Jessica Moore." At the nod of assent Sam took a deep breath to push back the automatic flood of grief that hit every time he thought of his girlfriend. "A week before Jess was murdered I started having strange dreams. I dreamt of her death down to the last detail. I thought it was just end of the year stress, so I did nothing about it. Needless to say I was wrong and Jess paid the price."
"Damn it Sammy there's no way you could have known those dreams would come true." Came the exasperated voice of Dean.
"I know Dean I'm just letting them know why I know now that these visions are real." Sam said smiling fondly at his big brother's overprotective nature. "Then 2 months again I had dreams about a woman dieing in our old house in Lawrence. We were able to get there in time and save the woman and her 2 kids thank god. That's where we met Missouri and she helped us defeat the poltergeist. It's also where mom's spirit tore herself up to protect us." Looking at their father as he said this John met his son's eyes and nodded. "Yeah that's what I thought." Sam said quietly. "You've kept in contact with her haven't' you?"
"Missouri's a good friend." Was John's only reply. At Dean's shocked glance he added. "My being there would have only put you boys in more danger. It was better for me to stay in the shadows. I hope you both understand."
Both boys nodded and Sam continued. "Last month I had another dream that led us to a young kid named Max. That's when the visions started coming while I was awake. Max's mother was killed just like ours. He also had similar abilities like mine. His strength lay in telekinesis and he was using it to kill his abusive dad and uncle. In the end we weren't able to save him and he took his own life." Sam couldn't help but once again feel guilty that he wasn't able to save the tortured boy as well. The sharp smack to the side of his head brought him out of his thoughts as he rubbed his sore head and turned towards his unrepentant brother saying "What the hell was that for jackass?"
"Don't sit there and act like you don't know Sammy boy. Max offing himself was not your fault either. I swear you can't save everyone and I'm not going to allow you to beat yourself up over stuff you can't change. I'm the only one that gets to beat you up bitch and don't you forget it." Dean finished with a smirk hoping to lighten the dark shadows haunting his baby brother's eyes.
"Sure whatever you say." Sam said his eye laughing as he quietly added "Papa Smurf."
Relieved as he was to see his brothers spirits lifted there was no way he was letting that Papa Smurf comment go.
He was interrupted however by a petite slayer who asked with no small about of teasing menace "And what's so wrong with being short huh? Or being a smurf? I love the smurfs they're cute."
"A woman after my own heart. I love the smurfs." Dean said winking at the beautiful slayer.
"Okay okay I've very sorry. I won't discriminate against the short or the smurfs anymore." Sam said holding up his hands and laughing at the antics of Buffy and Dean.
"Thank you that's all I ask." Buffy said primly as she sat back down with a twinkle in her eye.
"Ditto." Came from Dean.
"You were saying." John said with his own smirk at the preceding conversation.
"Yeah anyway last night I had another vision and it was a doozey. I saw the demon that killed mom and Jess. It was with this whacked out blonde chick that was getting worshiped by the really fugly monks. They were looking for a key to open something. What that was wasn't clear. What was clear was the fight that took place. We were all there including some people I don't know yet."
"Could you describe the other's that you don't see here?" Asked Giles "We might know them."
"Good idea. One was young girl with long brown hair. She seemed to be connected to you somehow." Sam said looking at Buffy.
"That would be my little sister Dawn." Buffy said still in shock at hearing Sam mention the key. "If what you saw is true she's a big part of what's going to happen, but we'll get to that after you finish."
"Right. There was a guy who I swear was a vampire, but he seemed to be fighting for us, so I don't know how that can be. He had bleached blonde hair and was wearing a long black duster." Sam finished looking for confirmation of his insanity at thinking a vampire would help them.
"Ah yes our very own resident pet vampire who also happens to be my roommate." Xander spoke up for the first time. "He got chipped by the government so he helps us out for free blood and a place to stay."
The shocked looks on the faces of the Winchester men had the Scooby gang cracking up. "Brace yourself." Said Willow. "There's a lot more where that came from."
"Okay." Sam said shaking his head. "Anyway the demon was there to help this blonde woman."
"Glory" Tara supplied
"Right Glory find her key and in return Glory was going to help the demon find… well me." Sam finished quickly.
"WHAT!" Dean shouted. "What do you mean find you? Why the hell are we here then. We need to get you the fuck out of town. Don't shake your head at me. Grab your gear we're outta here."
"Whoa slow down Dean. Really it's okay. Here's where I'm supposed to be. Just calm down and listen for a second okay." Sam said trying to calm his brother down who had him by the arm ready to drag him from the magic box and to the car if necessary.
"Look the demon and Glory want this key and me to end the world, but it's more then that. Yes if unlocked the power of the key and myself can cause harm, but the real reason they want us both is because this key is the only thing that can destroy Glory, and I'm the only thing that can destroy the demon."
Silence met Sam's announcement.
To be continued.
Wow I've never written 6 pages at a time before. I want to thank everyone for his or her support and corrections. I appreciate them all and will do my best to make the corrections as quickly as possible so please be specific. I also want to thank everyone for their prayers surrounding my cousin. His funeral is tomorrow and everyone is just pushing threw till it's over. Have a great fourth.
B
