Title: Catch Me When I Fall (6/?)

Fandom: Supernatural/BTVS/ATS (it's not a crossover per se but I will borrow the mythology from M.E. and mention some characters)

Rating: M – changed to be on the safe side!

Setting: Pre-Season 3 episode 12

Characters: Dean, Ruby & Sam

Pairings: Dean & Ruby

Word Count: 2,866

A/N: In my world Katie Cassidy's Ruby is the real Ruby and Genevieve Cortese's Ruby is a demon impersonating real Ruby, it's the only thing that makes sense!

I don't really plan on having any of the guys from BTVS/ATS feature much after this chapter. Hope I did their guest-spots justice.

Dean watched Ruby pull herself out of the manhole and tried to think of all the different ways this whole thing could have been part of some trick she was playing on him. Turning to look around the half deserted street he watched Buffy, Faith and Spike meet a diminutive red-head and elderly looking gentleman wearing a tweed jacket and glasses.

"Are you alright? I came instead of Andrew, he err said he didn't want to smell you," Giles said in greeting.

"Right as rain! Whatever that means…" Buffy chirped.

The older man put his arm around Buffy and looked down at her with concern, "My Goodness, that Bashnin demon used your face as a paintbrush."

"Thanks Giles and he took my tooth with him to Hellsville as a souvenir, look!" Buffy said as she opened her mouth to show Giles.

The red-head accepted the amulet from Spike, "Holy Goddess it's Babylonian, I saw this in Wesley's Assyrian Texts!"

Spike gave Buffy and Faith a vindicated look as Giles turned towards the amulet, "I hope you're wrong Willow, it's a very bad sign if it is."

Buffy and Faith rolled their eyes and got in the back of the open truck, "Come on Giles, let's go, the stench of sewer and demon guts isn't getting any fresher!"

Giles handed Willow the amulet and gestured for Spike to get in the back as he walked round to the driver side.

Willow turned to get into the car but stopped suddenly and whirled around; Ruby grabbed Dean and uttered some spell as she shoved him down onto the tarmac. Willow's eyes searched intently for a few seconds as she muttered something. Dean grit his teeth and hands desperately clinging to the pavement, it felt like his body was being sucked towards the redhead. The only thing keeping him on the ground seemed to be Ruby.

"Come on Will! I'm stinky, hungry and horny and not in that order!" Faith called out.

Willow lingered for a second longer before getting into the single cabin truck. As fast as it had come, the feeling of being vacuum suctioned off the tarmac was gone, leaving Dean quivering on the road like Jell-O. Giles put the vehicle in gear then tore away from the curb, speeding down the street.

Dean looked at Ruby who was already sitting up and cursing in Gaelic under her breath; beads of sweat dotting her forehead and upper lip.

"What the fuck was that?"

"That was a witch… the most powerful single witch on Earth to be more precise," Ruby replied testily.

Dean's facial expression was decidedly hopeful, "Is she evil?"

"Only if you kill her girlfriend or try and kill Buffy," Ruby answered matter-of-factly.

Dean's face fell then a thought formed in his head and his eyes lit up, "Are all witches-"

"No. Some are bisexual." Ruby snapped. She lifted the amulet from around Dean's neck and tucked it into her pocket.

Getting to her feet she cracked the bones in her neck, "Come on let's go."

Dean got to his feet and followed her, the wheels in his head turning furiously. Tonight's events were a lot to process and he did not even have Sam there to sound off his thoughts on.

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"So the girl-"

"Whose body I jacked is like Buffy and Faith. She's a Slayer… or was at any rate," Ruby supplied as she tucked into her potato wedges.

They were sitting in a diner that Dean's search on the internet when he had driven into town, claimed served the best steak in Ohio. Taking his first bite of the steak he was inclined to agree.

"Mmmm… this food!" Ruby gushed over a mouthful of potato.

Dean's eyes narrowed at her, "What do you mean was and why aren't they looking for her?"

Ruby took a sip of Dean's beer then setting it down, started to cut up her steak.

"She was a Slayer now she's gone… the symbol I branded on my shoulder means no other demon can possess this body except maybe Lucifer, if he even truly exists. I snuck into this body after she came out comatose on the wrong side of a fight with a Lakshar demon. Her soul's not here anymore."

"And the symbol is to stop them from finding her body and her soul's what? Wondering around aimlessly in the ether," Dean said matter-of-factly.

"Dean Winchester, your concerns and heroic instincts are misplaced… but yeah that too. Hey at least I didn't send her to Hell."

Hazel-green eyes bore into hers, reflecting disgust.

"A Slayer is a girl who comes from a long line of chosen women and it's her destiny to fight vampires and all the other things that go bump in the night. Dying in the line of duty is what's killed every Slayer since the beginning of time." Ruby explained in between bites of food.

"How come I've never heard of them?"

"It's supposed to be a secret gig but seeing as you Winchesters were supposed to be some of the greatest hunters ever, I really am surprised that you don't know about them."

"So am I," Dean muttered.

Cutting and spearing a piece of steak on his fork he scowled inwardly, it felt very much like he was about to lose his appetite despite the quality of the food. He looked over at Ruby who was digging into the steak like a prisoner eating his last meal. He watched her as she sprinkled hot sauce on her steak and practically inhaled the rest of the food on her plate. Despite his ambivalence towards Ruby, the corners of his mouth turned up briefly, nothing like a hot girl with a healthy appetite. He wasn't sure about Buffy, but he would bet his bottom dollar Faith ate like a horse.

Slayers. Twenty-four hours ago he would have said it sounded like some comic-book fantasy dreamed up by geek-boys who were unhealthily attached to their mothers. Or a legend demons invented to scare their spawn into eating their human eyeballs or whatever. Then again, a year ago he would have scoffed at the suggestion that he would not kill a demon. Now he was sitting here with a demon from Hell, there to fight the good fight dressed in the hot body of a Slayer. Something wasn't right here. Maybe it was his brain.

Ruby put her fork and knife together on her empty plate and signalled the waiter, ordering a pitcher of beer and dessert. The waiter took her plate and gestured at Dean's half-eaten meal with ill-concealed disappointment. Dean wordlessly handed the waiter his plate and ordered another beer.

Turning back to Ruby he studied her quietly, they had gone to their respective motels, showered and changed after their impromptu trip to the sewers then Ruby had appeared dressed in all black, outside his motel suggesting they get something to eat. She had followed him in a beat up '86 Camaro.

Dean frowned in confusion, when had Ruby stopped being his enemy and started being someone he sought out and whose company he actually wanted?

"If you weren't going to Hell I'd tell you to stop frowning, it'll give you wrinkles," Ruby quipped drily.

Dean glared at her, "Who was the redhead and Mr. Belvedere?"

Ruby planted her palms on the red and white check tablecloth and sighed, "Willow Rosenberg and Mr. Rupert Giles."

"And the bleach blonde guy in the sewers is a vampire?"

"With a soul, yep."

"How does that work?"

"He took a world tour of places you never want to end up in, went through some pretty fucked up tests…survived, and got his soul back."

Dean scowled, "Why?"

"To make Buffy happy," Ruby said with a sardonic twist of her lips.

"Aren't vampires and Slayers sworn enemies?"

"Aren't hunters and demons?"

"So he wanted to make Buffy happy because…"

"They were doing the hokey-pokey after she came back all messed up. If you think her relationship with Spike is fucked up wait until you here about her one true love, Angel. Another vampire with a soul."

"Why is there more than one Slayer, I thought there is only supposed to be one?"

"Buffy decided to throw the rule-book away, got her friend Willow to work the mojo of the century and waken every potential Slayer around the world."

Dean eyed her suspiciously, "How do you know all this?"

Ruby smirked mysteriously, "I had an eternal subscription to 'Hades Daily' while I was in the Pit. I'm kidding… look Dean, I know what I know… now what do you want to know? I won't tell you anything you and Darling Sammy can't cross-check or reference."

"Don't call him that. And why not?"

Ruby shrugged, "You don't trust me because I'm a demon and Papa Winchester trained his loyal attack dog not to stop and question anything… I get it. Every time I tell you something you are constantly questioning and doubting it because, well…like you said demons lie. We demons also tell the pure, unadulterated truth because we don't have a conscience or a reason to soften the blow."

Dean let her words sink in as the waiter brought Ruby's dessert; two banana split sundaes, one large slice of Key Lime pie, and a plate full of gooey chocolate fudge brownies. He retreated then came back with their beers, Ruby bestowing an incandescent smile on him before picking up her dessert fork and cutting into the Key Lime pie.

"So Dean, I resolved after our last confrontation that I'm going to try very hard not to upset the fragile balance you've achieved. I won't tell you just how much life is filled with grey areas because I need you fit and fighting evil in that way that you do… so Sam can be as strong and prepared as he can be for life without you."

Picking up her spoon she started on the first of the banana split sundaes, she pushed the other one towards him. Dean took it, surmising it was better to fill his mouth with food than let it empty anymore disturbing questions. Besides, his mouth had started watering as he watched her eat. Picking up his own spoon he dug into the sundae and tried desperately to remember the last time he had felt like a 'normal' person with 'normal' problems.

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"Have you told Sam about the Slayers?"

Ruby wiped her mouth and threw the napkin on the table, leaning back she undid the top button of her jeans and gently burped into her hand. Looking up at Dean she smiled ironically.

"Now why would I do a thing like that?"

Dean felt the slight endorphin rush from all the sugar he had consumed dissipate, "What do you mean why would you, why wouldn't you?"

Ruby shrugged, "Thanks to you Dean, Sam's alone in this fight for the long haul. The time for him to know about the Slayers is not a few months before the big brother that raised him checks out early on a Hades I.O.U."

Dean's fists clenched angrily on the table, "So when is it a good time?"

"When he's ready. When they are ready."

"You know Buffy was right, can't you demons just drop the cryptic and say what you mean?" Dean ground out through gritted teeth.

Ruby sat up and leaned closer, "Fine, dropping the cryptic... You and your brother opened the Devil's Gate, pretty much the opposite of what Buffy and her friends do. You also raised your brother from the dead in exchange for you going to Hell for all eternity, despite the fact that your brother was rocketing straight for some shady destiny a demon had for him. And now you hang out with a demon that got out during said Devil's Gate opening and body-snatched one of their own. A half-a-sandwich-short-of-a-picnic basket, dabbler in the dark arts, one of their own, but one of them all the same. Anything in what I just said inspiring a bonding over the campfire while trading war-stories about fighting evil scenario here?"

Dean balked, "Why Ruby I had no idea you thought so little of Sam and I."

Ruby shook her head at him, "Let's get one thing straight here Winchester, I may be a demon but that doesn't mean I don't know what I'm talking about."

Dean shrugged in defeat, "No I guess not, do you think we can get the bill and get the Hell out of here?"

Ruby signalled the waiter and scribbled in the air to indicate she wanted the bill. He came over with a smile on his face, asking her how she enjoyed the dessert. Dean watched Ruby as she smiled brightly at the waiter and complimented the chef. He wondered if she was only sour-faced and bitchy with him. For some reason the thought made him uncomfortable. She had done a lot and continued to do a lot to make sure him and Sam kept breathing. Even if her motives were not completely selfless or altruistic, Dean knew that Sam at least would have someone aggressive and decisive enough to get the job done, while he roasted in Hell. A shudder ran through his body at that last thought.

"Come on Shortbus let's go."

"Don't call me that."

"If the shoe fits."

"That's a two-way street Princess."

Ruby let out a rich and surprisingly genuine chuckle, "I don't think anyone's ever called me that!"

Dean stopped walking abruptly, "What's your point?"

Ruby shook her head as she pushed the door open and walked out into the crisp, chilly Cleveland air, "Nothing."

Hand on the small of her back, Dean steered her towards the Impala without thinking but then Ruby stopped and gave him an inscrutable look. His hand lingered until she stepped away from him.

"I've got an idea, why don't you go back to your motel… hit the books on the Willow Rosenbergs, Rupert Giles', William the Bloodys, Buffy Anne Summers', Faith Lehanes, Slayers and Hellmouths of the world for starters, and next time we chat you can tell me and Sam all about it?"

"I thought you said Sam wasn't ready to find out about them?" Dean said with a harangued expression on his face.

"So you agree, it's not the right time," Ruby said with a self-satisfied smirk.

Dean glared at her, "No, I don't, I think I should at least introduce the idea to him, before… I go."

Ruby shrugged, "Okay, you know best… for now."

A muscle in Dean's jaw jumped, silently he prayed for strength.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to have myself a couple of drinks, beat some people at pool and maybe, just maybe get lucky tonight. I deserve it," Ruby said with a wink.

Dean watched her walk away his mind troubled, he could not believe he had been about to ask her to stay with him or worse he had been about to give her a ride in the Impala!

Angrily, he unlocked the Impala and sped all the way back to his motel. Two hours later, his head swimming with the surprising amount of facts he had uncovered about Slayers and Buffy and her friends, he got a call from Bobby.

"Got a lead on Bela."

"Where?"

"Nevada."

"I'll meet you two in Denver," Dean said then hung up.

Packing up all his research on Slayers, his laptop and duffel bag, Dean wondered how the demon in the Slayer meat-suit would react to the news that they had lost the Colt. Flashing back to all the altercations he had had with her, Dean suppressed a shudder. If Buffy and Faith's displays of strength were anything to go by, the demon had been holding out on them. Which only served to raise two issues, why and didn't that just reinforce the whole, 'demons lie no matter what' philosophy?

Dean carried his duffel bag and laptop bag to the Impala.

Then why had Ruby shown him Buffy and Faith's world, when Dean could easily call them up and tell them where to find the demon that had stolen one of their sister Slayers' body was? And if Willow Rosenberg could turn all potential slayers into slayers, maybe, just maybe she could save Dean from the Pit right? What if she couldn't? Wouldn't that distress and scare Sam more than he already was? Could Dean do that to Sam? Could he do it to himself? And what if, the Slayers were looking for him and Sam because they had heard on the hunter-grapevine about the Devil's Gate? Could Dean risk exposing Sam to being on a Slayer's shitlist? Did John Winchester know about these girls? If he did, why the Hell didn't he ever say anything?

Slamming down the trunk lid, Dean walked up to the motel reception and returned the key. Heading back to the car, Dean shook off his myriad questions and sternly turned his mind back to the task at hand, Bobby had a lead on Bela, she had the Colt, Slayers, Hellmouths and Vampires with Souls would have to wait until after they caught her.

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