Title: Catch Me When I Fall (8/?)
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: Post-Season 3 episode 12
Characters: Dean, Ruby & Sam
Pairings: Dean & Ruby
Word Count: 3,064
A/N: So this chapter was totally inspired by BTVS Season 6's episode 'Smashed'. I haven't seen that episode in at least five years so I hope I didn't copy too much from it. Nothing like sexual attraction and violence to work some issues out, I say!
They stopped in Lynchburg, Virginia, checking into the Old Virginia Motel. Dean had wordlessly shut himself in the bathroom, taking so long in the shower that Sam had left the motel to get them some dinner and come back.
Dean stepped out of the fragrant steaming bathroom, wearing black cotton boxers and his towel hanging loosely around his neck.
Sam looked up at him with his best woeful puppy dog look and Dean glared at him balefully for half a second before breaking out into a rueful grin. Sam let out an inaudible sigh of relief.
"Hope you didn't forget my pie, Samantha!"
Sam grinned back, "Of course I didn't Dean, when have I ever forgotten your pie?"
Dean picked up his bag of take-out and reclining on his bed, shrugged as he pulled out the extra greasy cheeseburger and bit into it eagerly.
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"So what exactly has Ruby been teaching you?" Dean asked casually, he was clearing the debris from their meal, tossing it all in the trashcan.
Sam's shoulders tensed, "How to hunt and finish the job solo, mostly."
"You already know how to do that," Dean started to pull his jeans on, eye narrowing slightly as he studied his little brother.
Sam looked at Dean guiltily, "Not very well I don't. I've always had you or Dad, if I face something big on my own when you're gone, I don't think-"
"Well that's a load of bullshit, but if Ruby's got you believing that and you're happy with it then believe it."
"I'm not happy with it Dean but I don't have a choice right now, you're leaving and I have to learn to hunt in a way that's outside my comfort zone." Sam implored his brother to understand.
Dean shrugged into his army green jacket, "Okay, I'm going to get drunk. Don't wait up."
"No, wait we need to talk about this-"
Dean cut him off with a mirthless chuckle, shaking his head as he picked up the keys to the Impala then strode out of the motel room; he shut the door with a well-restrained click.
Throwing his hands up in despair, Sam fell back on the bed and let out a frustrated groan. The last thing he had wanted to do was drive his brother away, but that's exactly what he had done. 'Nice going Sammy!' He chided himself. With a sigh he got up and decided to take a shower before bed.
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Dean sped down the highway as Ozzy Osbourne when he was still with Black Sabbath, sang 'Crazy Train'. He had left the Lynchburg city limits behind him twenty minutes ago and he had no idea where he was headed. He just knew he had to get as far away from Sam and all the issues that hung unresolved between them for a while. He tried not to but his mind kept replaying Sam's words about him being judgmental and Ruby being more understanding and accepting. His little brother had not just compared him to a demon and found him lacking had he? And Ruby! The fucking little bitch was manipulating both of them so well that Dean had forgotten to be concerned about any alone time those two spent together. Dean thought back to the night he had seen Ruby naked and vulnerable and he felt his gut clench in fury. He had been played! Looked like he should be more worried about the alone time he had been spending with Ruby!
His hands tightened around the wheel, this was all her fault! He floored the Impala, relishing in the power and speed moving beneath him then the Impala stuttered then stopped suddenly.
"Oh no, no, no baby, come on! We were just getting our first wind!" Dean protested as he tried to coax the car to move again.
Dean felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and raised his eyes up to the road. Ruby! The demon was standing there in the middle of road, arms crossed and hip jutted out like a supermodel posing for a picture. Without thinking Dean practically kicked the door open and stalked over to the all-too confident demon.
Ruby watched Dean approach her and felt her pulse jump in anticipation. The hunter looked positively feral as he strode towards her with a deadly fire burning in his eyes. They were so green they were almost black. Her lips stretched into an ironic smile as she realized how he would react if she told him that.
"Wipe that smirk off your face bitch or I'll wipe it off for you!" Dean growled.
Ruby let her limbs hang loosely at her sides as she returned Dean's glare, "I'd like to see you try."
Dean's right fist flew out of nowhere and knocked Ruby flat on her ass. Ruby blinked slightly dazed by the power and fury behind the blow. She tasted blood on her cut lip and smirked. Dean reached down, hands on her coat lapels as he hauled her to her feet. Ruby brought her arms up and pushed them outwards breaking the contact.
"I don't think so Winchester. You wanna piece of me, you're gonna have to work for it!" She taunted as she broke off into a run.
Dean cursed under his breath as he gave chase, the bitch was fast! Must be the Slayer body she had jacked!
Ruby veered off the highway suddenly and jumped over the rusted barb wire fence that bordered the fallow field. Dean followed closely at her heels, regaining some lost ground before he lost her again. He was so angry he did not even notice the almost complete darkness of the field or the uneven ground he was running on.
Ruby felt her body unfold like the petals of a flower in the sunlight as she lengthened her strides and ran in a zig-zag pattern. The thrill of the chase was unfurling in her blood like an ancient drumbeat as she truly felt alive for the first time since she had come back from Hell. She let out a tinkling laugh, not even bothering to look behind her. She could feel Dean behind her, a combination of Slayer senses and her own powers. Up ahead she saw an abandoned barn, with one solitary grimy light bulb. It was filled with all kinds of junk cars. Eyes lighting up, Ruby ran into the structure, shimmying up the ladder to the second floor. When she got to the top she kicked the ladder away and stood proudly, gasping for breath as she searched for Dean. Adrenaline rushed through her body when she saw him standing in the barn entrance, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath and glare at her threateningly at the same time.
"Not bad, Shorty."
"I'm taller than you, demon cocksucker!" Dean retorted.
Ruby's eyebrow went up and she grinned, "Shorty as in Shortbus… Shortbus."
Dean straightened up and started walking around the junkyard, spying the wooden ladder he lifted it up and smashed it into two pieces. Grinning up at Ruby evilly he dusted his hands and gave her a challenging look.
"I can just jump down."
"Prove it."
"I don't have to prove anything to you."
"No, you don't have to… but you want to," Dean parried cockily.
He sat on the hood of a rusted 1945 Ford truck and watched Ruby with twinkling eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Dean casually picked up an abandoned tire iron and started to flip it expertly with one hand.
"You wanna play games Sweetheart, let's play… I get under your skin. Make you feel like you've gotta prove to me and the world that you're different, you're one of the good guys."
Despite herself, Ruby felt her defences rise, "I am."
Dean stopped flipping the tire-iron and pointed it at her, "You are a fucking liar who lies. What you've done to the poor Slayer whose body you jacked is wrong. Her family, friends, loved ones don't deserve to bump into you wearing her meat."
"Just like Meg's family don't deserve to know about all the wonderfully creative and painful ways you tortured the demon out of her." Ruby threw back.
Dean considered that for a second then nodded in agreement, "True."
Ruby sat down on the ledge, letting her legs hang out in the open air and swung them lightly, "Are you still jonesing to kick my ass?"
"Thoroughly… maybe send your ass back to Hell if I feel like it."
"And what about poor Sammy?"
Dean jumped off the hood of the car, anger coming off him in sparks, "I told you not to call him that!"
Ruby raised her hands in a placatory gesture, "Okay, sorry Touchy! Are you on your period or did you and Sam have a lovers spat?"
Dean started to pace, tire-iron swinging expertly and dangerously in his hand, "Where do you get off taking my little brother for secret lessons in God knows what!"
Ruby sighed, "Ahh… I see, you and Samantha broke up again. You two need to get it together, you're worse than Ross and Rachel."
Dean stopped pacing and glared up at her, "Why don't you come down from your hidey hole, demon cunt."
Ruby's eyes flashed to black, "What did you call me?"
"You heard me."
Ruby's hands bunched into fists and the playful air between them chilled to sub-zero temperatures.
Dean smirked, "Now there's my Ruby. Why don't you come down here and tell me again how you're one of the good guys and jacking a Slayer's body is for the good of all mankind? Wait, maybe you can feed me all that bullshit about how you remember what it was like to be human and how you want to help me and my brother because you like Hell just the way it is."
Ruby jumped straight onto the packed-dirt floor, walking purposefully towards Dean.
"Say please."
"Not on your worthless life." Dean ground out, hand gripping the tire-iron firmly.
Ruby, eyes still black detected the movement and drew closer to him. Dean's left hand shot out and slapped her soundly. She reached up and grabbed his left hand while his right brought the tire-iron crashing across her face. Blood spurted from her nose as Ruby gripped his right hand too, pushing his arms apart she head-butted him soundly. Then brought her knee up; the joint connecting with his diaphragm repetitively in painful, sharp movements. Dean freed his hands and grabbing her by the lapels threw her up against the Ford truck before dragging her off it and tossing her as hard as he could against a beat-up Dodge truck. Ruby crumpled to the ground and Dean approached her, she swept his feet from under him and kneeling over him punched him so hard his jaw rattled. His hand shot up and wrapped around her throat squeezing it painfully. She let out a gargled yelp, scratching her nails down the right side of his face. He did not let go of her throat as he cuffed her with his left elbow, shoving her off him. Ruby scrabbled backwards on the oil-stained dirt as Dean picked up his tire-iron and letting out a guttural cry smashed it across her face. Ruby blocked the next blow with her left arm, screaming in pain as the metal connected with bone. The force of her block sent shockwaves up Dean's arm and he dropped the tire-iron. Ruby kicked him in the face, a nauseating crunch registering in Dean's ears as the blow forced him backwards. Jumping to her feet she grabbed the lapels of his jacket and threw him onto the hood of the Ford truck. Vaulting onto the hood she punched him. Her next fist connected with the windshield cracking the glass as Dean moved out of the way. Grabbing the back of her neck he sent her head through the cracked windshield shattering the glass. Ruby reared back, the back of her skull connecting with Dean's chin, forcing him to release her as he fell off the truck, blood spurting from his nose and lower lip where his teeth had bitten down. She followed him, kicking his head as hard as she could. Dean caught her foot in his hands and twisted the ankle hard. She groaned in pain as the joint twisted, falling to her knees.
Her eyes changed back to green as a solitary tear trickled down her bloodied face.
"Tell me when it hurts," Dean gasped.
Ruby's lips flattened into a grim line as she leaned over him and grabbed his balls in her left hand.
"Ditto," she said through gritted teeth.
Dean's back arched as she twisted her hand viciously, he grabbed some loose dirt and flung it in her eyes. She hissed in pain, releasing him. Dean staggered to his feet and dragging her by the hair threw her out of the barn. Her palms were cut and abraded by the rough soil as she put her hands out to gain some traction and stop her skid. Dean straddled her torso and leaning down, spat in her face. Ruby howled in outrage, uttering a spell that had Dean flying in the air and hitting the barn door with a sickening thud. Wiping her face and blinking the dirt away she limped over to his prostate form. Dean looked up at her with murder in his eyes.
"That's cheating. Shoulda known you never play fair."
Ruby shrugged and held out her hand to help him up, "You pissed me off."
Standing unsteadily, Dean eyed her warily as they both breathed heavily, sharing the same air. He brought his hands up her arms and rested them on her shoulders, then with a regretful twist of his lips he pulled her jean jacket down her arms and tied the sleeves around her back. Hand around her neck he dragged her back into the barn and threw her in the back of the Ford truck. Jumping in after her, Ruby laughed at his look of surprise when she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him down on top of her. Rolling over in one fluid move she was straddling him.
"This isn't about Sam or you going to Hell is it Shorty?"
Dean's right hand fumbled around until he was gripping one of the wooden planks that formed the crate of the truck and he wrenched it off.
"No not really. It's about you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, I don't need nor want your pity and I can get my own women thank you very much!"
Ruby gave him a warning look but he ignored it, clocking her on the side of the head with it. When she fell sideways, legs still wrapped around him they fell out of the truck together landing on the glass-littered ground, they lay there gasping, the wind knocked out of them.
Dean immediately rolled on top of her and stared into her battered face. One eye was rapidly swelling shut and she looked up at him with her good eye. Suddenly something inside him shifted and before he knew what he was doing he was leaning down to kiss her. Ruby instinctively kissed him back, wriggling around as she tried to free her hands. The movements only served to inflame Dean further and he was pulling her up so he could help her out of her makeshift restraints.
The kiss started off brutal and sloppy, they both had split lips and Ruby's were coated with a layer of dirt. By the time her hands were freed the kiss had evolved into something so sensual she wanted to cry from the sheer pleasure of it. She felt the clear sign of Dean's arousal branding her hip and gathered his bloodied, torn and dirt-smudged jacket in her equally torn and bloodied palms. She let out a guttural moan, if her blood had been singing before with the song of life it was positively vibrating now. Ruby felt like she was both drunk and high off the feeling of Dean's well-muscled body under and around her. The light-headed euphoria only clearing when she felt his hands at her belt buckle, Ruby looked into his eyes and saw the desperate need burning in the emerald depths. She realised she could not let him do this. He would loathe himself in the morning, and so would she. This was not what he really wanted. Her eyes changed to black and she lamented how quickly they had the desired effect, his hands freezing mid-motion.
Her eyes changed back to blue-green and she leaned in kissing him once before pulling away regretfully. Ruby had to order her hands to let go of his coat. Dean just remained there frozen, staring at her in confusion.
"Come on let's get out of here, we've caused so much damage and made so much noise I'm sure someone's coming." Ruby said in a husky, passion-tinged voice.
She stood up and took a few steps away from him, picking up her jean jacket she shook off fragments of glass before putting it back on. Dean looked around the barn and for the first time appreciated the damage they had caused. There was broken glass, splintered wood and Dean and Ruby shaped dents in the three cars that had gotten in the way of their fight. He got to his feet dazedly and looked at Ruby; she was wiping the blood trickling out of her nose with her sleeve. Letting her arm drop she rolled her eyes at him with impatience.
"Let's go!"
Her tone kindled an ember of the dying anger in him and with a set to his shoulders Dean strode out of the barn, Ruby limping behind him with equally grim determination.
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They got back onto the highway and traded shocked looks to see the Impala still sitting on the road. Dean jogged over to the car, a quick cursory check telling him nobody had touched or violated his baby. He turned to look at Ruby who stood back, looking uncomfortable.
"Come on, I'll give you a ride back into Lynchburg."
Ruby gave him a dubious look and Dean felt his irritation grow, "I'll bathe her in holy water and wax her with rock salt after, now get in!"
Ruby shrugged and limped to the passenger seat, Dean quashed the stab of guilt he felt at seeing her limp.
Starting the ignition, Dean reversed the Impala in a 180' turn and drove back towards Lynchburg. Firmly slamming the door on any mental wanderings about what had transpired and what had almost transpired in that barn, he turned up the Black Sabbath and did his best to ignore the demon riding shotgun with him.
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