Dream On…
Part Four
By Larilyn
Summary: Past lives, the Wild West and the Summers sisters. Fun stuff for Sam and Dean. Buffy/Dean, Sam/Dawn
Spoilers: Through season 1 of Supernatural and the entire series of Buffy.
Disclaimer: Don’t own. Never have. Never will. Aerosmith lyrics aren’t mine either. But aren’t they just the greatest?
Warnings: None in this chapter
Dream On… Part Four
Eighteen Hours Earlier
Dawn stared at the pile of papers
that she had assembled. She didn’t want to touch them. She wanted to put them
in a shredder and pretend she had never seen them. She wanted to rewind the day
and not know the things that she had discovered.
Across the room, Sam sat in front
of the microfilm reader.
She could watch him all day. He
was so… She wondered how his hair would feel in her fingers, how his arms would
feel around her, how he kissed.
Part of her wanted to go over to
him, climb into his lap and pretend they were normal.
But she couldn’t. The people they
loved were in danger.
Dawn moved across the room with
the eyes of every man in the library on her. She didn’t notice. She never had.
Sam looked up at her with a half smile.
“Hey. I’ve got
Sam stood and offered Dawn his
seat. Then he grabbed another and sat down beside her.
Dawn read the obituary a little
self-consciously, because Sam watched her intently while she read quietly,
“Elizabeth Anne Bennett was found murdered Sunday in Ellie Whitlock’s boarding
house. The Sheriff asks that any person with information on the foul crime or
of the whereabouts of Zachariah Avery, Miss Bennett’s cousin and traveling
companion, please contact him as soon as possible. Miss Bennett was twenty-two
years of age.”
“Did you find anything on Deacon?”
Sam asked.
Dawn shook her head. “Nothing but
a birth certificate. The guy was a ghost.”
Sam nodded down at the papers in
her hand. “That’s a lot of paper for a ghost.”
Dawn reluctantly handed them to
him. “Tell me I’m wrong, Sam,” she said with the slightest hitch in her voice.
*****
When Sam finished reading, he
looked across the table at Dawn with obvious concern.
“Now see,” she half-heartedly
scolded, “This is where you say, ‘Dawn, you’re crazy’.”
“Dawn…” he began, reaching out to
take her hand.
“Sam, this can’t happen to my sister.
I can’t lose her. Not like this.”
“She’s safe with Dean,” he tried
to reassure her, “I promise.”
Dawn nodded, but couldn’t shake
the feeling of dread that had built up.
“Why don’t you call her?” Sam
asked gently.
“Yeah. Yeah, I think I might.”
*****
Buffy answered the phone with, “I
am going to kill him.”
“I take it you and Dean aren’t
playing nice?” Dawn asked, laughing at both her sister’s annoyance and her own
relief that Buffy was okay.
“After I kill him, I’m killing you
for leaving me alone with him. That man is completely insufferable. He’s a
know-it-all, and a smart ass, and GAH!”
“And of course, you’re being your
usual self, I’m sure.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Whenever you’re uncomfortable you
tend to get all defensive and…”
“…And?”
Dawn could almost see Buffy
tapping her foot.
“I’m trying to think of a nicer
word than ‘bitchy’.”
“Little brat!”
“It’s true. And I’m taller than
you.”
“Anyway… I’m not uncomfortable.
Why should I be uncomfortable?”
“Because you want him.”
“I…do…not.”
“Buffy, you could not want him
more.”
Buffy huffed on the other end of
the phone, “Please. I so do not. And why did you call me? Didn’t think I was
being tortured enough?”
“I wanted to make sure you were
okay.”
“Why wouldn’t I be okay? Dean’s
annoying and possibly evil presence notwithstanding.”
“Listen; just don’t go anywhere
alone, okay?”
Buffy’s voice dropped several
tones, “Dawnie, what aren’t you telling me?”
Dawn sighed. There was no good way
to tell Buffy what she suspected. So, she blurted it out.
“Every twenty to thirty years
since
There was a long pause before
Buffy quipped, “That’s quite a leap there, Agent Mulder.”
“Buffy, just humor me and be
careful, okay?”
“I’m always careful.”
“And stay with Dean.”
“Do I haveta?”
****
When Dawn caught back up with Sam
he was on the phone, presumably with Dean.
“Are you sure? I mean, we do get
bumped around a lot. It could be an old bruise.”
Dawn sat down at the table
opposite Sam and listened to his half of the conversation.
“You don’t honestly think…All
right…stick close to her, okay?... Yeah, she’s right
here.”
Sam held out the phone for Dawn to
take. “Dean wants to talk to you.”
Exactly like Buffy, Dean started
right in with, “I’m going to kill your sister.”
“Aren’t you with her?” Dawn asked,
just a little panicked by the thought that Dean wasn’t keeping an eye on Buffy.
“She sent me into the stacks to
look for a book, like I’m some kind of freaking errand boy. She’s fine.” Dean
grumbled. “So, what do you know about the ghost in this library?”
“Which one?”
“There’s more than one?” Dean
asked with disbelief.
“Sure. There’s lots. Can you
describe it?”
“Five four, brunette, feathered
hair…”
“Diane. She’s great if you need
help with APA formatting. Just don’t tell her she’s dead or she starts freaking
out about not finishing her Master’s thesis.”
“So she’s harmless,” Dean
surmised.
“Completely. I’m surprised Buffy
didn’t warn you about the ghosts.”
“Don’t get me started on Buffy.”
Dean disconnected without saying
goodbye.
“He hung up on me.”
“He does that.”
“What were you guys talking
about?” Dawn interrogated.
Sam shrugged. “It’s probably
nothing.”
Dawn wasn’t buying it, “Sam, don’t
even think about keeping secrets from me, okay?”
Sam gave her a half-smile in
apology. “We need to start looking for a demon.”
“The one
“One that can hurt you in your
dreams.”
Dawn closed her eyes and said to
Sam, “You have got to be kidding me.”
*****
The radio was playing a little too
softly, but Dawn knew the words to this song by heart. The melancholy melody
fit her mood.
‘It's amazing
With the blink of an eye
You finally see the light
It's amazing
That when the moment arrives
You know you'll be alright
It's amazing
And I'm saying a prayer
For the desperate hearts tonight’
Dawn stared out the passenger
window of her Jeep. The darkness was all consuming now that the sun had set.
Dawn was exhausted from the day of research. Behind the steering wheel, Sam
kept stealing glances at her.
“I’m fine, Sam.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.” Under her breath she
reminded herself, “The shit doesn’t usually hit the fan until May.”
“What?”
“Never mind,” She finally looked
at him. “You know what? I’m sure she’s fine. She’s the Slayer for crying out
loud.”
“You don’t have to pretend that
you aren’t worried.”
“I’m not. Pretending, I mean.”
Dawn let out a rattling sigh, “I’m scared to death.”
Sam must not have known what to
say. He reached over and gave her hair a tentative touch.
Dawn gave him a sad smile, which
he returned.
Then they both turned their eyes
to the road. Dawn realized that she hadn’t been paying attention for too long.
“Sam? Where are we?”
“Well…uh….”
“We’re lost?”
“Nah. We’re fine. I never get
lost.” Sam shook his head and drove on determinedly. Finally, after a few
minutes, he admitted, “Okay. Maybe we’re lost.”
“Why didn’t you ask me for
directions?”
“Well, you were upset, and I
didn’t want to bother you.”
Dawn laughed. “That’s sweet. And
incredibly stupid.”
Sam shrugged and gave her a
charming smile. “Sorry?”
“Not a problem. I can’t think of
anyone I’d rather be lost with.” Horrified at her bluntness, Dawn backtracked,
“Did I say that out loud?”
“I can pretend you didn’t.” He
smiled again and Dawn decided that he had the nicest smile, ever.
She chuckled and went to say
something but she noticed, “There’s a sign up ahead. What’s it say?”
Sam squinted and read, “
“We definitely yinged where we
should have yanged.”
“I think I can turn around up
here.” Sam offered.
“No. Drive a little further.”
“You know where we are now?”
“Yup. You in the mood for an
adventure, Sam?”
*****
“So you’re telling me that I was
born ten minutes away from a Hellmouth?” Sam asked.
They were strolling companionably
through the cemetery, occasionally pausing to read a really old headstone.
Dawn nodded. “Stull,
“And?”
Dawn shrugged, “It’s been pretty
inactive for like, twenty years. But apparently there was a big surge in
activity in the early eighties.”
Dawn glanced over at Sam, who
looked lost in thought. “You okay?”
He nodded and smiled at her.
“Yeah.”
“Anyway, we’re not here to talk
about the Hellmouth. We’re here hunting the albino woman. Bwah, ha, ha.”
Sam laughed, which was what Dawn
was going for. “So what’s the story on this albino woman?”
“Oh, it’s very scary. This
eccentric old albino lady lived around here. Then she died. And now she haunts
the cemetery.”
“And?”
“And...that’s it.”
“That’s your idea of a scary
story?”
“I have a feeling that it would
take a lot to scare you, so why strain myself?”
“You’re incredible,” Sam said
affectionately. After he said it, he got this look on his face. One Dawn had
seen before.
She gave him a little time to be
all introverted before she prodded, “Who was she?”
Sam gave her a questioning look.
“The girl who gave your eyes that
icky haunted look. I’ve seen it before, you know. On Buffy. More than once,
actually.”
Sam tried to dodge her question,
“What about you? No tragic love stories in your past?”
“No love stories, period. Let
alone tragic ones.”
“You’re kidding.”
Dawn shrugged. “I don’t date
much.”
“Why not? You’re…well, you’re
gorgeous.”
Dawn smiled at the compliment, but
didn’t believe it for a second. “I’m sorry. Have you not met my sister? She’s
blonde, spunky, ridiculously over protective?”
Sam laughed.
“She likes you though.”
“Really?” This seemed to please
him. “Ya think?”
“Well, it’s either that or she’s
too busy fighting with your brother to notice that you exist.”
“That’s probably more likely,” Sam
agreed with a chuckle.
Dawn decided that he had dodged
the question long enough. “So? Who was she?”
Her name came out like a sigh,
“Jessica.”
“What happened?” she asked gently.
“There’s a demon that’s after my
family. After me. Jessica got in his way.”
Sam hung his head down so that
Dawn couldn’t see his face. She reached out and brushed his hair out of his
eyes. “I’m sorry Sam. I’m really, really sorry.”
Sam reached up and took her hand.
He held onto it and gave it a squeeze. With his other hand, he cupped Dawn’s
cheek and ran his thumb over her skin. Dawn sighed with contentment.
A scream pierced the air,
interrupting the moment.
“Did you hear that?” He asked.
“Couldn’t miss it.”
“Stay here, I’m gonna check it
out.”
Dawn rolled her eyes. “That’s not
gonna fly with me pal. I’m going with you.”
They raced through the gravestones
in the general direction that the sound had come from.
When they saw the vampire feeding
on the young woman, Dawn got to see another side of Sam.
He became angry and fierce. A true
hunter.
From the waistband of his jeans,
he pulled out a revolver.
The cock of the hammer got the
vampire’s attention.
Sam growled, “Let her go.”
The vampire removed its fangs from
the crying girl’s neck but did not release her.
“Bullets don’t work, boy.”
“They do if they’re filled with
holy water.”
The vampire promptly dropped the
girl, who collapsed into a sobbing heap.
“Get her out of here,” Sam
instructed, still keeping his gun on the vampire.
Before she obeyed, Dawn snuck a
stake out of her waistband and surreptitiously tucked it into Sam’s back
pocket. Then she went to the girl, hauled her to her feet and helped her get
away as fast as possible, which wasn’t easy since the girl insisted on leaning
on Dawn for all she was worth.
Before she could ask her anything,
the girl volunteered, “My friends. They’re at the entrance.”
“What the hell were you doing in
there?” Dawn asked with annoyance.
“It was a dare…a goof. I was
looking for the albino woman.”
Dawn helped the girl along until
she heard a series of gunshots. Sam was in trouble.
“Go to your friends. And stay out
of cemeteries at night.”
Dawn raced back as fast as she
could. When she got back to where she had left him, he was alone and standing
over a pile of dust.
“Are you okay?” Dawn breathlessly
asked Sam.
He nodded but didn’t look at her.
She reached out and touched him on
the shoulder. Sam turned to her with this fierce look in his eyes. Suddenly, he
pulled her hard against his body. He was kissing her, passionately,
possessively. Dawn snaked her arms up around his neck and into his silky, soft
hair.
She let out a little moan and Sam
pulled away. “What’s wrong?” She asked, not believing that he would want to
stop.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…Dean
and I are going to leave.”
“Tonight?”
“No.”
“Tomorrow?”
One side of Sam’s mouth twitched
as if he was going to smile. “No.”
“Then kiss me, okay?”
Dawn didn’t wait for his answer.
She just rose up onto her tiptoes, using the length of Sam’s body for balance,
and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth. Sam’s turn to moan. His hands spanned
Dawn’s back. She leaned against him just a little more.
Sam stopped kissing her again.
“What? What is it?”
“This demon that’s after me…”
“Jesus, Sam!” Dawn started in on
him. Poking him in the chest the whole time she ranted, “I’ve been nearly
sacrificed to a hell god. Lived in a house where not one but two different
vampires stalked my family, three if you count Count Dracula. The freaking
Hellmouth collapsed into a sinkhole, while I was still standing on it. And,
I’ve battled zombies. Zombies! So if you start spouting some nonsense about not
putting me in danger then I’ll… mmmff.”
He was kissing her again. Good.
His lips were warm and soft. His
five o’clock shadow was deliciously abrasive and masculine. His body was so
hard and mmm. When his lips moved to her neck Dawn voiced it, “Mmmm.”
Hell, he was stopping again.
Dawn lost it, “Oh. My. God. What?
What now?”
“We’re making out in a cemetery.”
“So?”
“Just pointing it out,” Sam
smiled.
“Are you always this difficult?”
Dawn demanded.
“No. I just think you’re cute when
you’re all worked up.”
“That’s it. I’m never kissing you
again.”
Sam stuck out his bottom lip in a
very childlike pout. Which, of course, Dawn had to wipe right off of his face.
*****
Dawn was not, by nature, a
giggler. Still, when she and Sam came through the front door, she was giggling,
“I can’t believe you were bluffing. I was totally gonna ask you where to get
holy water bullets.”
“Good thing you gave me that
stake. Or I would’ve been vampire juice.”
“You’d have been fine. I have a
feeling you’re a resourceful guy.”
Fluffy trotted down the hallway
toward them and whined.
“Hiya pooch,” Sam said jovially.
Fluffy’s whine became more
distressed.
Dawn knew immediately, “Buffy.”
Sam moved fast, racing down the
hall to Buffy’s room. When he threw open her door Dawn could hear Buffy
hysterically begging Dean to wake up.
Dawn didn’t really think. She just
darted into the kitchen, yanked open the fridge, and grabbed the pitcher of
water. Then she sprinted down the hall to Buffy’s room, shoved Buffy and Sam
out of the way, and threw the water in Dean’s face.
Dawn was rewarded with the sight
of Dean’s hazel eyes looking widely up at her.
“Dean?” Sam asked breathlessly.
Dean nodded and said, “Thanks, I needed that.”
Dawn looked over at her sister. Buffy stood there, looking like she was going to throw herself into Dean’s arms. Naturally, Buffy kicked him hard in the shins. Then she turned on her heel and raced out of the room.
Dean bellowed, “Seriously, people have got to stop kicking me!”
“Dean, are you all right?” Sam asked, concerned about Dean’s dream.
Dawn was more worried about her sister. She left the brothers alone to search for Buffy.
She found her sitting on Dawn’s bed, clinging to Fluffy for
dear life. Buffy was crying. Buffy hardly ever cried, but for the second night
in a row now…
“Buffy?”
Buffy looked up at her with
red-rimmed eyes and admitted, “Dawnie, I’m so scared.”
Dawn went to her side, and
soothed, “It’ll be all right. We’ve faced worse than this. This demon…”
“I’m not afraid of the demon, not
really.”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“Dean. I can’t lose him. I can’t
lose another person that I love.”
Dawn was shocked by the partial
admission. Sure, she was kind of crazy for Sam but she was a long way from
love. Not to mention that Buffy and Dean had done nothing but irritate each
other. “Love? Buffy, you only just met.”
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t know
if it’s because of Elizabeth or what. But I loved him the second I met him.”
“You don’t believe in love at
first sight, Buffy.”
Buffy looked at Dawn with
tear-filled muddy green eyes and admitted, “I know. That’s what scares me.”
