Note: I just couldn't resist pairing these two sets of heroes for a little piece of pure fluff.Hope those familiar with both shows will enjoy… Of course I don't own either "Doctor Who" or "Supernatural." Those honors belong to the BBC and the WB/CW.

The residents gathered outside the apartment house saw only the firefighters who kept them back from the building. The blaring fire alarms had hustled nearly everyone out onto the front sidewalk. Amid the bustle, no one noticed the wheezing, grinding sound in the alley a block or so away.

Behind the building, two young men helped their semi-conscious father out a second-story window and to the ground below. The brothers may have felt some small relief in finding their father alive and managing to get him away from his possessed captors, but within a few moments they were fighting for their lives once again. Another man under demonic control attacked Sam, the younger brother, brutally slamming his fists into his victim's face. The ferocity of the assault threatened Sam's life. The demon provided his host with nearly limitless strength and viciousness and removed all human compunction. Beating Sam to death was the demon's singular, momentary goal.

A young, blonde woman and a tall man with dark, close-cropped hair rounded the corner from the alley. He held out his arm to stop his companion while he surveyed the scene.

The two newcomers arrived just in time to see Sam's brother Dean aim and fire an antique revolver at the attacker.

"Doctor!" Rose whispered urgently. "I think he's killed him!"

"Not him, Rose," the Doctor replied gravely, "it."

"So it's like the Gelth?" she asked with wide eyes.

"The Gelth were pixies compared to these things," he said.

Sam knelt next to his brother then helped him to stand. Together they made their way back to their father, who sat slumped against the wall. The boys lifted the older man, Dean providing most of the necessary support. The three Winchesters began walking.

"So they're safe now?" Rose asked softly.

The Doctor did not respond. His eyes were fixed on a woman who had slipped between the buildings to step out only a few feet behind the three men. She lifted her hand, fingers flexing as a terrible grin spread across her face.

"Did you really think you could get away that easily?" she hissed.

In an instant the Doctor's hand had sprung inside his pocket to retrieve his sonic screwdriver. He aimed the device at the woman and flicked a switch. A flash of light surrounded her for less than a second, then she fell to the ground.

The Winchesters spun around, eyes moving from the fallen woman to the man who stood with the small tool in his hand.

"Come on," the Doctor urged, walking quickly toward the men. "You won't have much time. She'll only be out for a few minutes."

"Who are you?" Dean asked suspiciously.

"We're here to help," the Doctor replied firmly.

Dean glanced at the unconscious woman again. "How did you do that?"

The Doctor shrugged and offered a quick smile. "You have your ways, I have mine."

He tucked the sonic screwdriver back into his pocket then stepped forward to place an arm around Sam's back. Indeed, the youngest of the Winchesters was faltering. Yet he managed to reach into his pocket and pull out a small, silver flask. He unscrewed the cap and held it up.

"No thank you," the Doctor said. "Bit early in the day for me."

Sam's hand jerked, splashing a few drops of water onto the Doctor's face. The Time Lord wiped it off with his hand.

"Ah," he said, "holy water. Clever idea. You can never be too sure, can you? Better give Rose a splash, too, just in case." He flicked the water from his hand onto Rose's cheek.

"Oi!" she protested. "You're gonna ruin my make-up!"

The eldest Winchester seemed to have lapsed into unconsciousness; Dean held him firmly to keep him from falling. Sam and Dean, however, stared at their erstwhile assistants.

"Who the hell are you?" Dean asked.

"I'm Rose," the young woman replied, "an' this is the Doctor. An' if what he said about her," she pointed to the woman sprawled upon the sidewalk," is true, an' he's not usually wrong, we don't have time to stand around chatterin'. Where'd you park?"

"A couple of blocks away, by the river bank," Dean said.

"Then let's go." Rose marched ahead. "I don't wanna be around when she wakes up."

"Trust me," Dean said, "neither do we."

Dean slipped behind the wheel of the car. The Doctor sat beside him; Rose had squeezed into the back seat, between the two injured men.

"You'll need a safe place to stay," the Doctor was saying as the car pulled away. "I know of a cottage about fifteen miles from here, very out-of-the-way."

Dean glanced at him then at his father and brother in the back. "Yeah? Okay."

"Get back on the highway," the Time Lord instructed. "I'll tell you where to go from there."

Dean complied, his eyes darting to the rearview mirror with some frequency to ensure that they were not followed.

"So," the Doctor said conversationally, "how'd you wind up battling those things?"

Dean almost smiled at the question and the casual way it was asked. He had a very strong suspicion that this sudden savior had seen his share of demons, too. "It's a long story," he replied.

"How 'bout you start by telling us your names?" Rose suggested.

"I'm Dean Winchester, and that's my brother, Sam, and our father, John."

John was still unconscious. His head lolled to the side, falling onto Rose's shoulder. She placed her hand upon his cheek.

"What happened to him?" she asked.

Dean shook his head. "He said they kept him drugged."

The Doctor reached back to press his fingers over John's wrist. "Probably a pretty strong sedative."

Sam's eyes had been closed, but he opened them to look at the Doctor. "You think he'll be okay?"

"It'll take some time to work its way out of his system," the Time Lord replied, then focused his attention on the road. "Get off up here."

A few minutes later the car rambled along an unpaved road leading through the woods. The Doctor directed Dean ahead, and soon the travelers saw a small house tucked back among the trees. Dean parked the car in back.

"Have you been here before?" Rose asked the Doctor.

"Couple a' times," he said, but he didn't seem inclined to elaborate. Instead, he produced a key from his pocket and unlocked the back door.

He turned on the lights as Dean got his father from the back seat. Rose helped him to carry the older man inside and into the single, small bedroom. The Doctor offered his assistance to Sam, who was clearly in considerable pain. Several gashes on his forehead and cheek were still bleeding.

The Doctor supported the young man and guided him to the living room, where he eased him down onto the sofa. He tilted Sam's head up to study his eyes, but Sam lifted a hand to push him back gently.

"See to my dad first," he said.

The Doctor nodded. "Okay."

He went into the bedroom, where Rose and Dean were hovering over John. He touched Dean's shoulder. "Let me have a look at him. Could you get something to clean up these wounds? There're some supplies in the bath." He pointed at the cuts on the older man's face; the demons had spared no efforts in beating him during his captivity.

As soon as Dean had left, the Doctor took the sonic screwdriver from his pocket and ran it over the injured man. Rose watched with concern.

"Well?" she asked after a few seconds.

"Vitals are okay for now—little irregular, actually, but that's probably from the drugs. Heartbeat's strong, though, and lungs are functioning well. Nothing looks broken."

"So he'll be all right?"

"Looks like it."

"Is there anything you can do for him?"

"Here? No, not really. Like I said before, drugs'll have to dissipate on their own. We can try to get some water into him, encourage the system to flush out—"

"Should we take him to the TARDIS?" She dropped her voice just a little when she mentioned the Doctor's time ship.

"That's not a good idea, Rose."

"But it would keep them safe—the demon can't get to them in there, can it?"

"No. But that's too much mucking about with events. These three have to finish this on their own."

Dean returned with a bowl of water, a towel, and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. The Doctor put the screwdriver back in his pocket and stepped back from the bed.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Dean asked.

"I think so. Try to get him to drink as much water as possible," the Doctor replied.

"Could you have a look at Sam? That son-of-a-bitch beat him pretty bad."

Dean sat down on the bed next to his father. The Doctor gave his shoulder a brief squeeze then left the room, Rose at his heels.

Sam had permitted his head to fall back against the cushions. His eyes were closed, but when he heard footsteps he opened them.

"How is he?" he asked immediately.

"He's all right," the Doctor replied. "He just needs some time. Rest's the best thing for him now."

Sam nodded weakly, wincing at the pain this motion brought to his face. The Doctor sat down next to him on the couch. "How're you doing?"

"I'll be okay."

The Doctor leaned in a bit to scrutinize his eyes. "Hmm. Close your eyes."

"Why?"

Rose rested her hand on Sam's arm. "It's okay. You can trust him."

Sam looked up at her then back at the Time Lord. "Sorry. Dean and I are a bit gun-shy around strangers. Guess I don't really need to explain why."

"No," the Doctor said somberly, then he brightened. "But I do need you to shut your eyes for about ten seconds. It's a quick way for me to check for concussion."

Rose took Sam's hand. "It's okay."

He closed his eyes somewhat warily, and the Doctor quickly ran the screwdriver over his head. He tucked it back into his pocket just as Sam opened his eyes.

"No concussion," the Doctor proclaimed happily. He leaned in to peer at the young man's face, touching the area beneath his eye gently. "You could probably use a few sutures," he said. "Nothing's broken, though."

Sam nodded tiredly.

"Let's get these gashes cleaned up, then you should rest," the Doctor said.

"Yeah." Sam wanted to stay awake, to keep up his vigilance, because even though these two seemed trustworthy, one could never be too sure… But he was exhausted, and he was in pain, and his body simply could not fight it anymore. His eyes closed of their own volition, and he fell asleep.

When Dean emerged from the bedroom, the Doctor and Rose were just finishing cleaning Sam's face. They had managed to wipe away most of the blood and treat the wounds with disinfectant. The youngest Winchester had been so exhausted that he had barely stirred during their ministrations.

Rose carried the basin of bloody water back to the bathroom, offering Dean a reassuring smile as she passed him.

"How's he doing?" he asked.

The Doctor stood. "He'll be all right."

Dean's brow tightened. "He always is."

"How about you?" The Doctor's blue eyes seemed to bore into Dean's very soul for an instant.

"Me? I won't stop until we've destroyed this bastard once and for all."

"That's not what I asked," the Doctor replied. "You nearly lost your father and your brother today, and you shot and killed a man—"

"I had no choice, and I'd do it again to save them."

The Doctor nodded in acknowledgement. "I need to borrow your car so that Rose and I can go and get our… own transportation."

"Yeah." Without hesitation, Dean handed him the keys then sat down beside his brother.

When Rose returned from the bathroom, the Doctor beckoned her to his side. They slipped out of the cottage and left the Winchesters to comfort each other and draw upon their mutual strength.

Some time later the TARDIS materialized a short distance from the cottage. Rose stepped out. She knew it would take the Doctor at least twenty minutes to drive back, so she returned to the house.

Sam and John were sleeping, and Dean was sitting near the door. He began to stand when she walked in, but she shook her head and gestured for him to remain seated. She went to the kitchen and prepared a pot of tea. Somehow she wasn't surprised to find a good selection of the Doctor's favorite beverage in this house he just happened to know about in the middle of nowhere…

By the time the tea was finished, the Doctor had returned. Rose set the teapot and mugs on the table near the couch.

"Thanks," Dean said to her.

She smiled. "No trouble."

The Doctor extended his hand; Dean took it. "Best of luck," he said.

"Thanks. We'll need it."

The Time Lord glanced at Sam then back at Dean. "You're doing a good thing."

Dean gave a half-nod. "I have a feeling that you are, too."

The Doctor moved to the door, Rose following. As she passed Dean, however, she stopped to give him a hug. He wrapped his arms around her, allowing himself one moment to savor her warmth and softness.

"Keep a close eye on your dad," the Doctor advised.

Rose moved to the Doctor's side and took his hand. "Good luck," she said.

"Thanks." There were really no other words needed, and Dean knew that these two would understand.

The Doctor shut the door firmly as he and Rose walked out into the chilly night air. They were quiet for some time, but as they approached the TARDIS, she spoke.

"Are they going to succeed?"

The Doctor looked down at her. "Eventually, yes."

"It's not going to be easy for them, is it?"

He shook his head. "No."

As he unlocked the TARDIS, Rose said, with a wistful glance back toward the house, "Y'know, Dean reminds me a little of you. Same determination, same—" She stopped and shook her head. "Sorry, going on again."

The Doctor turned to her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "No, Rose, what were you going to say?"

"It's nothin', really—"

"I'd like to know."

She looked up at him and shrugged. "Same sadness, same sense of loss, an' same belief that because of it he has to save the world."

The Time Lord stepped inside his ship, taking Rose's hand again to lead her inside. In the bright interior lights, she could see his eyes clearly. In them, she found his reply.

The TARDIS dematerialized a few moments later, leaving the woods quiet and still. Inside the cottage, Sam slept, Dean watched, and John's soul silently fought the demon dwelling inside him.