Just A Dream

AN – So I've had this chapter almost done for a couple of weeks, but I've been distracted by my daughter (4 months old and already a terror) and by the Cassandra Palmer series by Karen Chance – which I've only just discovered and haven't been able to put down! And maybe I've been a little reluctant because I know the end to this story is coming soon. :(

I got the feeling I upset a person or two with the last chapter (mwahaha) so I added a little bit of something to the beginning of this one. Big smiley thank you goes to Lola Stang, for giving me the idea :)

Anyway, on we trot...

Just A Dream

A devilish grin slowly took over Buffy's face. She cocked an eyebrow as she regarded Dean and moved into a fighting stance, fists raised. "You really want to spar? Now?"

Dean smirked and circled her. "Well I didn't bring you out to this field to pick daisies. Besides, I always wanna spar with you." Of course, he managed to make it sound dirty.

"Spar with me slash cop a feel, right?"

"Hoh yeah, baby!"

She seemed to consider it for a moment. "Fine. But when I win you have to buy me breakfast."

"You just ate breakfast."

"Second breakfast."

"What are you, a hobbit?"

Buffy lowered her arms for a moment and snorted. "You read Lord of the Rings?"

"I watched the movie."

"Yeah, me too. The book was stupid long."

He waved his arms dismissively. "It doesn't matter. Because when I win, you're going to be too busy gettingnekkid to eat breakfast."

She'd kind of been planning on getting naked with him anyway, so all in all it was a win/win situation. "Deal."

Dean darted forwards and threw a punch her way – he'd never held back with her – which she easily blocked. She countered, but he grabbed her fist out of the air and span her around. Pulling her backwards, he rubbed his groin against her ass.

"What if Faith and Sam come back?" she uttered, making no move to try and get away.

"Trust me," he murmured in her ear. "they won't be back for hours. Faith took Sam weapon shopping."

"Ooh, maybe I should have gone with them. I like a good" She reached behind her and grabbed his crotch. "weapon."

He groaned and placed a wet and hungry kiss to her shoulder. She used his lack of concentration to break the hold he had on her and flipped him over her shoulder. He landed on his back in front of her with a thud.

She placed her triumphant hands on her triumphant hips. "I think that means I win."

Glaring up at her for a second, Dean kicked out at her legs, determined to wipe that smug expression off of her face. She fell down, and he quickly rolled on top of her. "Actually, I think you'll find that means I win." He sealed the deal by kissing the breath out of her.

Not even bothering to show the barest smidgeon of a resistance, Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck and happily kissed him back. "Mm." She pulled away for a second. "If I'dve known losing was this much fun I would have declared myself a big fat loser a long time ago."

The kissing probably would have continued in a much naughtier direction had Buffy not felt the shock of a cold raindrop on her cheek. And another. And another and another and another. She squealed and pushed Dean off of her before jumping to her feet. She hopped from one foot to another whilst trying to cover her head. "My hair!"

Still on his butt on the floor, Dean had to hold onto his stomach as he laughed hard at her girly response.

She sent him a steely glare and stopped trying to protect her ruined hair. She folded her arms across her chest. "You think you're so funny, Dean Winchester, but you're totally-"

Dean's eyes flickered open.

He wasn't in a wet field. It wasn't a month before.

He was in Buffy's bedroom. He was alone.

But what had woken him?

High pitched screams were coming from somewhere in the apartment. Well that would do it.

He grabbed the gun from under his pillow and rolled out of bed, hurrying out into the hallway. He paused at what he saw. "Andy?"

Andrew was leaping about the hallway, shrieking and waving his arms around his head. Dawn was leaning against her doorway, watching bemusedly. "Spider! Spider!" He smacked at his head dementedly. "It's in my hair!"

Dean dropped his gun. "Oh, for fu-"

Sam was exhausted, both physically and mentally. He and his father had been going at it for hours. Talking and yelling and talking and even throwing a couple of threats around. And then some more talking.

He couldn't believe his dad had known that the demon – or Azazel – had given him blood when he was a baby. How could he have neglected to tell him that?! Well, he knew – John had his reasons. He always had his reasons. Sam wasn't sure what he was most pissed about, the fact that his father hadn't filled him in, or the fact that he could kind of understand why.

He just wanted to protect him.

It kind of didn't make him want to punch him any less though.

Sighing, he flopped down onto Faith's bed – she'd told him he could use it when she wasn't at home.

When he next looked up, he wasn't alone.

"Hello, Sam."

Sam let out a very undignified grunt and leaped off of the bed. He yanked the gun out of his belt and aimed it at Azazel. "How the hell did you get in here?" Oh God, Dean was home too. "Where's Dean? Dean! Dean!" Through the open doorway, he watched Dean exit Buffy's bedroom. Instead of coming to Sam's aid, he ambled in the direction of the bathroom, yawning. Sam's mouth gaped open, until realization dawned. "I'm dreaming..."

"And he gets it in one! You really are a smart kid, Sammy. That's why I always like you so darned much."

Sam narrowed his eyes. "What do you want from me? Your plan to bring me over to the 'dark side' failed, in case you missed it. I'm not part of your little family, and neither is Buffy any more."

"You might as well lower that gun," Azazel replied with a roll of his eyes. "Not that it would do you much good, even if this wasn't all going on inside your head. And whilst we're on the subject of Buffy, I'd like to mention how disappointed I am in how that turned out. I was...fond of her. She's always been a favourite of mine, even when she was hacking away at my kids. Hey, Sam, do you want to know a secret?" When Sam just glared at him, he cupped a hand around his mouth teasingly and leaned towards him. "I know a way to save her."

Sam gritted his teeth. No way was he about to believe him. "You're lying."

Azazel shrugged and stepped back. "Think what you like, kiddo, but you should know that there's more to this whole Buffy situation that that little witch of yours realizes."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're all under the impression that the Buffy you know and adore is trapped inside that misfit school of rejects, right? Well you're wrong," he sang.

"I've seen her with my own two eyes-"

"You've seen her body. Her soul ain't there."

"Willow said she could feel her..."

"You're very right. You're also very wrong. You see, Buffy's soul has been split into two. What Willow can feel is the slayer half of her soul. The other half – that less appealing, girl half – is trapped somewhere else."

"Where?"

"Behind a door."

"Yeah, 'cause that makes sense."

"I speak only the truth, kiddo. She's stuck behind a door, and you're gonna need to open it to get her out so that the two parts of her soul can put themselves back together."

"Why don't you open it?"

"If it were that simple, don'tcha think I'dve done it already?"

Sam's nostrils flared. He was not thinking about this! He wasn't! Because saving Buffy couldn't be that simple. And this was the demon that killed his mom and his girlfriend. Why would he want to help him now, when he'd done nothing so far but ruin his life, over and over again? But...this was Buffy. He owed it to her to at least ask, right? "Would it really save her?"

Azazel smiled. So maybe it would just save her soul, and not her life, but that wasn't what he'd asked. "Yes."

"I don't believe this. Why would you want me to help her?"

"I already told you. I'm fond of her. But if you were to do this, then you tell no one. And by no one, I mean no one. Not even that annoying brother of yours. You do, and the deal's off. Buffy's dead. And I'm the only thing keeping her alive right now. If I break the spell, she dies and her soul is stuck behind the door."

"What else is behind the door?"

"Can't tell you that, Sam, it's not part of the deal."

"Even if I didn't tell anyone, they'd know where I was going. Willow-"

"Come on, boyo, don't let the side down! You know this."

"We could never find Buffy...you were the one cloaking her."

"And I can do the same for you, too."

Okay, so it was most probably a trap. The demon was probably lying to him. Sam was probably not going to get out of this in one piece. But if he saved her... "What do I have to do?"

When Sam woke up, it was with a heavy feeling in his heart.