chicago ♔ subscribe me not to darkness

[principal]

♬ To Darkness - Mumford and Sons

WHO || Buffy Summers, Sam Winchester, Robin Wood [closed]
WHAT || Buffy accompanies Sam to Chicago, seeking answers about Dean's past... and the fate of the version of Sam from this world
WHERE || Chicago, USA
WHEN || Late-October [back-dated]
HOW || Actionspam

Sam Winchester has not a very easy time of this world.  

Most of the reasons for which, it seems, can be traced back to the fact that there was another Sam Winchester native to this dimension.  One who somehow managed to alienate his brother Dean to the point where he almost murdered Sam on sight, and it's been a very slow, uphill battle ever since to get Dean to say more than two non-hostile words in a row to him.

An uphill battle that's going too slowly for Sam's taste.  

Upon googling his own name and doing some research in hunter circles, he learned more and more disturbing facts - including the fact that he and Dean from this world were held responsible for the deaths of Jo & Ellen Harvelle, and Bobby Singer.  Distraught by what he'd learned, he shared the facts with his new friend, Buffy, who agreed to travel with him to Chicago tracing down one of the only leads they have on finding out more about what happened, since Dean doesn't seem inclined to share.

And so off they go to Chicago - home to some of Buffy's own demons - to check out the Hunter's bar run by Robin Wood.

Comments

[familybusiness]

[Now here's a situation he's all too familiar with (wisdom 19).

Looks like he might be taking the pool cue after all. Sorry Buffy.

The mention of his friends, especially Bobby, hits him again, and he's barely able to keep from wincing, the corners of his eyes still bearing the emotions (will save 14).]

Look, guys, I'm not looking for trouble here. I just need some information.

[Diplomacy 20 total.]

[slay]

Not Fred, actually. But don't feel bad: I get that all the time.

[ Buffy shrugs her shoulders, gesturing out at her sides a little with her hands. She sucks at undercover. Act dropped with the appearance of a nice, private back room. ]

I just need a minute alone with somebody who frequents this place—see, I didn't want my friend out there overhearing, and you seemed like the obvious choice.

[behindcloseddoors]

[ her tone turns more distinctly unfriendly, expression darkening as he follows her with his eyes. ] Well see, now that's too bad. Because I think you've found some trouble.

[ sam hears

nothing. nothing at all. ]

[principal]

[ at the sound of her voice, he turns around so abruptly that half the garbage winds up on the ground and the bag goes slack in his hand, but he doesn't seem to give a fuck. he's just too busy staring like he's seen a ghost. ]


... Buffy?

[familybusiness]

[At least he has the fucking sense to try and keep....tabs on both of the people surrounding him (wisdom 15).]

Seriously, let's just talk about this. There has to be some kind of misunderstanding.

[He turns his head to look at the other hunter, who is presumably in his blind spot.]

[slay]

[ On the list of things that Buffy came into this expecting, this ranks … nowhere. At all.

Two quick blinks are followed by arching eyebrows and a slackening jaw. The dumbfounded look is joined by an equally articulate expression, ] … Bzuh?








[ commercial break ]

[principal]

[ give him a second of staring. ] What are you-- [ doing here dies on his lips, replaced by a sort of warm, amazed recognition as he shakes his head ] The Veil. You came through the Veil?

[ he considers for a second, then adds: ] Though if any world could use a Slayer...

[slay]

[ Immediately, as he grows more comfortable with her appearance, she grows—well, less. Buffy raises a hand between them, putting this whole damn train on pause for a moment. It takes her a beat longer to find the words she wants to ask, breathy and hesitant. ]

You … You know me?

[ And then straight onto the offensive. ]

How do you know about Slayers? How do you know about me?

[astrayed]

[ ♬ problem - natalia kills

maybe sam's crit fail had to do with someone dropping a quarter in the jukebox over there, and starting up some seriously loud tunes. could be.

either way, he turns around in time to see the knife coming towards his mid-section (atk... 9 lmao), and move out of the way in time. there's still that blonde lady behind him though, which could be a serious issue ... except that there's a sudden cracking noise, as her head is slammed against a table, her own knife clattering to the floor. the woman who was just at the jukebox is holding her head down, and tosses up a seriously provocative smile sam's way (charm... 54 ahahah), as she keeps her held in place. she's dressed mostly in leather, from the pants, to the jacket, and her heels look almost impossible to walk around in, but that doesn't seem to have slowed her down any. ] Well, hi there.

[principal]

Ohh boy. [ his expression falters a bit, some of the enthusiasm draining out. ] You... probably don't remember me, huh? [ the way he words it makes it seem like he's not entirely surprised, like he wasn't her number one best friend / vampire lover in their world ] Well, let's start small then. [ he holds out a hand, a peace offering. ] Robin Wood.

[familybusiness]

[Well that happened, awfully fast.

He sees the flash of the knife and sidesteps it like it's his job, turning just in time to see a really......wow did that ridiculously hot woman just save his ass?

Also why is it canon for Sam to get dazzled by attractive brunettes (sorry Buffy). His will save versus her charm isn't doing him any favors either (....7).]

.....h-hey.

[What the actual fuck is happening, right now?]

[slay]

[ Her gaze drops warily to the hand. For all her measured caution, though, she steps forward and opts to shake it after a moment. ]

I guess I don't need to return the introduction.

[ Beat. ]

Which, for the record? Is still weird. And creepy. And ... I don't like it.

[astrayed]

[ her grin widens a bit at his reaction, and she lets her eyes trail over him openly for a minute while the blonde woman squirms under her clearly supremely effective grasp. she shifts her reply to the woman, leaning down next to her ear, and saying sweetly: ] Now why don't you and your friend run along home before it gets any darker? You wouldn't want to get caught on the streets when anything really big and bad comes out to play. [ the woman grimaces, but nods and the older hunter steps backwards away from them, holding up both hands, the knife still clasped in one, as a gesture of acceptance. she seems satisfied, but before she lets her go, nods to sam to pick up the woman's dagger. ] Why don't you hold onto that for her until she learns some manners?

[principal]

I was going for polite, but if it makes you feel better, you can say it anyway.

[slay]

I have a long, bad track record with people who come through the Veil knowing who I am.

[ Let's get that out right away, and maybe he'll understand the reaction. ]

They don't tend to bring good news.

[familybusiness]

[He watches this scene unfold with a sort of odd fascination, as if it's happening outside himself, and it's only when she gives him an order that he breaks out of it.

Sam gives her a nod, stooping down to collect the dagger before he slips it in his coat pocket.

Like he said, he really wasn't looking for trouble, so holding a knife on the now unarmed woman isn't going to give the right impression.]

Thanks for the help. That could have gotten ugly fast.

[principal]

I feel like I should maybe get some points for not jumping to the obvious question of who you've run into. Believe me, the curiosity is killing me, but... you're the one who's probably got more questions first.

[slay]

[ A relenting nod. He's being pretty cool about this, so she's sort of becoming un-prickly and calming down. ]

That's one way of putting it. I'm sorry, I just … Obviously we knew each other, but how? How do you know about the, [ She looks around, flustered briefly. Her cheeks puff out with air. ] —Slayer thing? It seems like everyone I meet knows more about me than I do.

[astrayed]

[ once the dagger's out of the way, she lets the woman go, and while she gets a dark look for the threat, and sam catches a mumured 'This isn't over, Winchester' as she walks by, they both make their way out the door without further argument.

the woman watches them go before looking back at sam, placing one hand on her hip and cocking her head. ] I'm having a hard time imagining they can get too ugly if you're involved. But maybe I've just got a bias for the tall, dark, and hapless kind.

Winchester, huh?

[familybusiness]

[All of these comments are boding so well for him.

He does a quick glance around the room, as if to make sure that everyone else is going to behave themselves before he answers her.]

Yeah, they weren't wrong.

[His hand reaches up to bat his disheveled hair out of his eyes.]

And you are?

[principal]

Short answer?

Because my mother was one.

[slay]

[ ??


???????

She stares with a look that grows steadily more overwhelmed as this sinks in. Reaching out finally, she grabs one of the shelving units to steady her on instinct. ]

Oh boy.

[ Slayers. Slayers everywhere. ]

Who? How many have there been? Where did we come from?

[astrayed]

[ her lips quirk up in amusement at the little gesture, and she folds her arms across her chest. ] Glad I walked in here tonight.

[ she walks past him and then uses both hands to hop up and sit on the edge of the pool table, obviously not just going to give him shit, but also... her name. ] Gayl.

[principal]

... The Veil really did do a number on you, didn't it?

[familybusiness]

Why's that?

[Because let's be real walking into a bar fight/attempted assault isn't generally something a nice girl wants to walk into. Not that she's probably a 'nice girl' given what just went down.

Still, it's worth nothing that anyone happy to see him might not be the best company given that Dean wanted to murder him on sight, along with these other two hunters, so he's gonna...try to be careful here? (sense motive 23).]

Are you a regular around here, Gayl?