Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fan Fiction / Supernatural Fan Fiction ❯ A Hunter's Nephew ❯ Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I still don't own BtVS or Supernatural.

 

Chapter 9

 

Bobby watched as Xander flipped though whatever book he was researching at that point. It looked like something in Sumerian, maybe. It was amazing that his nephew who would proudly admit he hated school could read several dead languages and two that were classed as demonic. Then again saving the world had probably seemed far more important than passing high school so that solved that puzzle.

 

And Xander researching Dean's deal wasn't breaking that rather annoying clause the demon had added. He could only pray they found something, he hated to think what Sam or even Xander might do if they didn't. But for now they had other things to worry about. He walked over to the table and dropped the report in front of Xander who picked it up and read it.

 

“Demons?” Xander asked and Bobby nodded.

 

“Looks like it. There haven't been any deaths yet but the other signs are there.”

 

“Or they could just be having a real sucky year.” Xander pointed out.

 

“True, I'll call the boys. You wanna come?” Xander just shot him a look and Bobby nodded. He didn't really want Xander involved in a demon war but he couldn't stop the teen if that was what he really wanted.

“By the way, happy Birthday.” He tossed a small parcel and Xander caught it easily. Xander smiled and slowly opened the present. The smile turned into a grin as he pulled out a new knife, some healing herbs and a batman comic. The comic got a small laugh in remembrance.

 

“Thanks Uncle Bobby.” Xander got up and gave him a brief hug before heading for the stairs.

“I'll be ready in five.”

 

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Xander got out of Bobby's car and waved at the Winchester's as they met up. Sam smiled warmly at him and Dean nodded in greeting since his mouth was full.

 

“So, we're eating bacon cheeseburgers for breakfast, are we?” Bobby asked.

 

“Well, I sold my soul. Got a year to live. I ain't sweating the cholesterol.” Dean shrugged flippantly and Xander winced slightly seeing Sam's flinch.

 

“Hi Xander. So, Bobby, what do you think? We got a biblical plague here, or what?” Sam asked and Xander smiled at the fact that Sam had actually said hi.

 

“Let's find out. Looks like the swarm is ground zero.” Bobby told them and the four approached the house.

 

“Candygram!” Dean called as he knocked. When no one answered he swiftly picked the lock. They all gagged as the smell hit them and Xander growled softly.

 

“Xander?” Sam asked and Xander swallowed.

 

“Someone in here is very dead.” He answered tightly and Sam's eyes widened in shock. He gave Xander a sympathetic look, he'd realised Xander had quite a few of the hyena's instincts and they were carrion eaters.

 

“You want to wait outside?” Sam offered but Xander shook his head.

 

“I can handle it.” They both paused as a sound reached them, making the other two stop.

 

“You hear that?” Sam asked and they cautiously headed for the next room. The stench became even stronger as they entered and they fought the urge to gag.

“Oh, my God.” Xander hung back as they moved in front of the couch to see a man, woman and boy dead where they were sitting with the TV still on.

 

“Uncle Bobby, what the hell happened here?” Xander asked, not sure he wanted the answer.

 

“I don't know.”

 

“Check for sulphur.”

 

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“Hey.” Sam looked up and smiled at Xander as the younger hunter joined him.

“How are you doing?”

 

“Fine.” Sam answered and Xander rolled his eyes.

“Alright so not fine. It's just, I was dead and now I'm not. I don't remember anything about it and I guess I'm wondering where...”

 

“Heaven or Hell?” Xander asked and Sam nodded.

“For what it's worth I don't believe it was Hell. Seen someone who's come back from there before and even if you didn't consciously remember it would still be affecting you.”

 

“So you think I went to Heaven?” Sam raised an eyebrow.

 

“Why not? You're a good guy Sam. I mean there are Hell dimensions so who says there's only one Heaven. That leaves a lot of options for where you might have been but I know it wasn't anywhere bad.”Xander explained and Sam smiled at him.

 

“Thanks. So I got to go somewhere good and my brother has condemned himself to Hell.” Sam sighed and stared at the floor.

 

“Hey, there's a year left to get him out of it and even if we can't there's nothing saying he has to stay there. He will not stay there for long.” Xander moved so that he was sitting right beside Sam, trying to offer comfort.

 

“I'm scared.” Sam whispered and Xander couldn't help it, he wrapped his arms around Sam pulling him into a gentle hug. Sam froze for a second and then returned the hug.

“Thanks, sorry about that.”

 

“Hey you want to cry, scream, rant, go ahead. Doesn't bother me. Your my best friend Sam and anything you need I'm here for, got it?” Xander wasn't willing to admit to Sam that he was so much more than a friend; he was too scared of rejection to do it. Even after watching Sam die he couldn't make himself tell the older hunter what he really felt and how sad was that?

 

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“Where's Xander?” Dean asked as Bobby joined them in the store.

 

“He said he wanted to check something.” Bobby told them and Xander chose that moment to appear from the back of the store holding up a tape and grinning.

 

“Want a suspect?” Xander waved the tape at them and Dean snatched it.

 

“How did you?”

 

“I hung around two hackers in school, picked up a few things. Enough to get into their system to access the footage anyway. So what did you guys find?” The three men looked at Xander and then looked at each other, beaten by a teenager.

 

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“What time is it?” Bobby asked and both Xander and Dean checked their watches automatically.

 

“Seven past midnight.” Dean answered before Xander could.

 

“Are you sure this is the right place?” Xander asked Dean, shifting in the back seat to try and get more comfortable.

 

“No. But I spent all day canvassing this stupid town with this guy's stupid mug, and supposedly, he drinks at this stupid bar.” Dean grumbled and Xander backed off. Dean and Bobby jumped as Sam banged on the window, making Xander smile since he had seen the other coming. Sam and Xander laughed as Sam slid in beside him.

“That's not funny.”

 

“Yeah, all right. So, John Doe's name is Walter Rosen. He's from Oak Park, just west of Chicago. Went missing about a week ago.” Sam told them as the four watched the bar.

 

“The night the Devil's Gate opened?” Dean asked just to be sure.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“So, you think he's possessed?” Xander asked, turning slightly on the seat so he could see Sam as well.

 

“It's a good bet. So, what, he just walks up to someone, touches them, and they go stark-raving psycho or something?”

 

“Those demons that got out of that gate -- they're gonna be able to do all kinds of things we haven't seen.” Bobby told them and they all groaned at that thought.

 

“You mean, the demons we let out.”

 

“Hey, no blame here. Jake's the one that opened it, not anyone here. So blame him and that creepy demon.” Xander told Sam firmly.

 

“Guys.” Dean interrupted before Xander could say anything else and they watched Walter get out of his car and head into the bar.

“All right. Showtime.” Dean got ready to get out.

 

“Wait a minute.” Bobby grabbed his arm.

 

“What?”

 

“What did I just say? We don't know what to expect out of this guy. We should tail him until we know for sure.” Bobby explained, sounding a bit annoyed to Xander.

 

“Oh, so, he kills someone and we just sit here with our junk in our hands?” Dean answered back and Sam shot Xander an amused look.

 

“We're no good dead. And we're not gonna make a move until we know what the score is.”

 

“Hey, Bobby? I don't think that's an option.” Sam interrupted the argument in the front seat.

 

“Why not?” In answer to Bobby's question both Sam and Xander pointed towards another car where Isaac and Tamara were getting out and heading towards the bar as well.

 

“Well this is great.” Dean glared at Xander's sarcastic comment.

 

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“And I say we're going back.” Tamara insisted angrily. Xander ignored the argument, intent on watching the demon to make sure it couldn't harm his pack. He didn't like them all being so close to it but there wasn't really any other option at that moment. He couldn't believe none of them had thought to try and grab one of the demons until Dean had dragged this one into the trunk. The others had been in a bit of shock at seeing Isaac like that and he had been too focussed on protecting them to think of it. He shuddered slightly, Isaac had not died a nice death, he couldn't imagine how much pain drinking that stuff must have caused, feeling his organs being burnt by the chemicals...he wouldn't wish that on anyone.

 

“Listen, just hold on a second.” Sam as usual was trying to calm things down but it wasn't working this time.

 

“I left my husband bloody on the floor!” Came the angry answer.

 

“Okay, I understand that. But we can't go back.” Sam tried to sooth.

 

“Fine. Then you stay. But I'm heading back to that bar.” Xander snorted softly at her stupidity, not that he really blamed her.

 

“I'll go with her.” Dean's reply got an actual growl that Sam was the only one close enough to hear. Sam gave him a worried look and Xander stared back the picture of innocence. Sam turned back to his brother.

 

“It's suicide, Dean!”

“So, what? I'm dead already.” Xander was the only one who saw Sam's subtle flinch at the reminder of Dean's deal.

 

“How are you gonna kill them? Can't shoot them. You can't stab them. They're not just gonna wait in line to get exorcised!” Sam argued, his own temper coming out.

 

“I don't care!” Tamara yelled back.

 

“You don't even know how many of them there are!” Sam argued again and then fell silent as Bobby entered the room, reading from an old book

 

“Yeah, we do. There's seven. Do you have any idea who we're up against?”

 

“No. Who?” Dean asked though he didn't sound incredibly interested in their identities.

“The seven deadly sins. Live and in the flesh.” Bobby announced and Xander stiffened, that was way not good.

 

“What's in the box?” They all stared at Dean for that comment.

“Brad Pitt? Seven? No? What's this?” Dean stared at the book Bobby had given him.

 

“Binsfeld's Classification of Demons. In 1589, Binsfeld I.D.'d the seven sins. Not just as human vices, but as actual devils.” Bobby explained.

 

“The family -- they were touched by “sloth”. And the shopper…” Sam thought out loud.

 

That's envy's doing -- the customer we've got in the next room. I couldn't suss it out at first, until Isaac. He was touched with an awful glutton—“ Bobby finished.

 

“I don't give a rat's ass if they're the Three Stooges or the Four Tops! I'm gonna slaughter every last one of them!” Tamara said and Xander snorted loud enough to earn a glare from her.

 

“We already did it your way. You burst in there half-cocked, and look what happened! These demons haven't been topside in half a millennium! We're talking medieval! Dark Ages! We've never faced anything close to this! So, we are gonna take a breath, and figure out what our next move is!” Tamara glared angrily at him but Bobby wouldn't back down.

“I am sorry for your loss.”

 

“We need more intel. Want me to try Wes or Giles?” Xander offered and Bobby nodded. Xander grabbed his phone and left the room to start making calls.

 

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Xander finished the call and rejoined his uncle and the brother's, staying quiet while they talked.

 

“I don't think we're gonna have to worry about hunting them.” His uncle was saying.

 

“What does that mean?” Sam asked.

 

“I think maybe this joker's right: they're gonna be hunting us. And they're not gonna quit easy.” Bobby answered and Xander nodded, getting their attention.

 

“From what Wes could find once you have their attention it stays till you're dead. And dragging one of their own off definitely got their attention. He hasn't found anything on how to kill them yet.” Xander filled them in.

 

“You guys, why don't you take Tamara and head for the hills? I'll stay back, slow them down, buy a little time.” Dean told them and they stared at him in shock.

 

“You're insane, Dean. Just forget about it, okay?” Sam told his brother.

 

“Sam's right.” Xander stated firmly, glaring at Dean for even suggesting it.

 

“There's six of them, guys. We're out-manned, we're out-gunned. We'll be dead by dawn.” Dean argued.

 

“Maybe, but there's no place to run that they won't find us.” Bobby answered.

 

“Besides if one of us had to stay behind I am the better choice, faster and stronger remember?” Xander pointed out and received twin glares from his Uncle and Sam.

“Not saying I'm planning too.”

 

“Look, if we're going down, we're going down together, all right?” Sam glared at them all and eventually the others nodded.

 

“Well, let's not make it easy for them.”

 

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Xander faced down one of the demons. He knew Sam was facing two in the other room and he knew his Uncle and Dean were somewhere upstairs but not exactly where. He only hoped they could hold their own.

 

“Don't fight and this will be quick kid.” The demon told him and Xander growled, knowing his eyes were glowing green. The demon looked shocked by that before it grinned.

“Got a name boy?”

 

“What about you demon?” Xander retorted.

 

“Can't you guess?”

 

“Going out on a limb, I'd say Gluttony.” Xander backed away as the demon approached.

 

“Smart boy.” Unfortunately the room they were in didn't have any devil traps so Xander was left with his wits. And there was no way the demon would let him recite an exorcism. Only a really stupid demon would stand still and let him do that and he doubted one of the seven was that dumb, despite looks.

 

Xander blinked and the demon was suddenly collapsing, it's throat slit. He stared at in shock, he certainly hadn't done that. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a blond blur headed for the room he'd last seen Sam in. Xander gave the dead demon one more glance and then took off after who or whatever had just saved his life.

 

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Xander was burying Gluttony while Dean buried Greed and Sam took care of Pride. Tamara was handling Isaac's funeral pyre, what there was of one, alone having refused any help from them.

 

“You think she's gonna be all right? “ Sam asked as he noticed where Xander was looking.

 

“No. Definitely not. Well, you look like hell warmed over.” Dean said to Bobby as he joined them.

 

“Well, you try exorcising all night, and see how you feel.” The older man answered.

 

“Any survivors, Bobby?” They all looked at him, hopeful they wouldn't have to do any more digging.

 

The pretty girl and the heavy guy -- they'll make it. A lifetime of therapy bills ahead, but still.” Bobby told them sadly.

 

“That's more than you can say for these poor bastards.” Dean gestured at the graves.

 

“Bobby, that knife -- what kind of blade could kill a demon?” Sam asked and Xander perked up since that knife had saved him as well.

 

“Yesterday, I'd have said there was no such thing.”

“I'm just gonna ask it again: who was that masked chick? Actually, the more troubling question would be, “How come a girl can fight better than the two of you?”

 

“Two demons, Dean. At once.” Was Sam's answer.

 

“What was I meant to do? Ask him to wait while I recited the exorcism since there wasn't even any Holy Water in the room with me?” Sarcasm was dripping from Xander's voice.

 

“Hey, whatever it takes to get you through the night, guys.”

 

“Well, if you want a troubling question, I've got one for you.” Sam said and they looked back at him.

 

“What's that?” Xander asked cautiously, figuring whatever it was couldn't be good judging by the look on Sam's face.

 

“If we let out the seven deadly sins, what else did we let out?” Sam asked.

 

“You're right, that is troubling.” Dean groaned in annoyance before lighting the three graves. They waited as Tamara walked towards them.

 

“See you gents around.”

 

“Tamara. The world just got a lot scarier. Be careful.” Bobby warned her and she nodded.

 

“You, too.” They watched her drive away in silence, not knowing what to say next. Finally Bobby started to gather his things.

 

“Keep your eyes peeled for omens. I'll do the same.” Bobby told the brother's.

 

“You got it.” As Dean answered Xander went to grab his own bag, not wanting to separate just yet.

 

“Wait, Bobby. We can win this war. Right?” Sam asked almost desperately. Xander watched as his Uncle looked at them sadly but said nothing and felt his own hope nosedive.

 

“Catch you on the next one.” Bobby told them and headed for the car.

 

“Guess I'll see you later.” Xander said and Sam mustered a smile for him

 

“It was good seeing you again, despite the circumstances.” Sam said, gripping Xander's arm for a second.

 

“Stay safe kid.” Dean called in farewell and Xander waved before getting in the passenger seat.

 

TBC...