Fic: My Brothers' Keepers - Part Three
Apr. 26th, 2009 12:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
brighteyedjillTitle: My Brothers' Keepers - Part Three
Authors:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jaune_chat and brighteyed_jill
Art: byxkelorosiamano is at her graphics community.
Pairings: Every combination of Nathan and Peter Petrelli and Sam and Dean Winchester
Rating: NC-17
Warning: See Part One for full list
Spoilers: Supernatural--though 4x16. Heroes--vague ones for Season 2
Authors' notes: Written for![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
sncross_bigbang. Beta and calling-us-to-the-mat-badassery by the intimidatingly awesome redandglenda
Summary: Sam and Dean discover demons have been possessing people with special abilities that have nothing to do with magic. Peter draws a future that reunites him and Nathan with the Winchester brothers. Together they find out that specials--people whose powers come from an unusual inherited gene-- are being targeted for possession by a woman who is on the verge of breaking one of the sixty-six seals.
Three days ago
“So, I bet we can find this place without too much trouble. How do we sneak in?” Dean asked, leaning against the dresser in their room in the Tower Plaza Motel. Peter had managed to deposit them back in Atlanta without any post-apocalyptic future incident Sam could see. Or at least the sky wasn’t on fire and robots weren’t roaming through the streets.
“We don’t,” Nathan said, and reached into his briefcase to pull out another one of Peter’s drawings. Spreading it out over the table, they all could see a clear drawing of Sam beside a slight brunette woman, standing next to the Impala. Beside them, two people, a black man and a redhead woman, held up a slumping Peter. Behind them was a decaying mansion; mangrove trees and Spanish moss set the scene. “Sam and Peter will,” he stated with the finality of physical law.
Looking at the picture, Sam felt the plan click into place in his mind. And Dean wasn’t going to like it.
"Why them?" Dean asked furiously.
"Peter drew it. That's good enough for me," Nathan said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"It's too fucking dangerous. Sam, we don't know how many demons they have in there. They could be waiting for you to do something stupid like this-."
"Dean! I don't think we're going to be able to get in any other way. Literally, we're not going to be able to find this place unless they lead us in," Sam cut in, forcing himself to ignore the "stupid" remark.
"And how do you know that?" Dean demanded.
"Look, Ruby told me-."
"Sam..." Dean said warningly.
Sam ignored him. "--That Caroline is using spells. Real spells and wards, ones so old that no one's been able to use them in centuries, something she got out of ancient texts. One of the spells is to conceal. Demons can't figure it out, angels can't find it, so I don't think we're going to be able to get to it either unless they want us there. And Dean, I have something they want," Sam said, and laid a hand on his own chest.
"No, no fucking way, no goddamn fucking way! They'll get their claws into you," Dean shouted.
"I won't let them. We just need to stay in long enough to figure out how she's breaking the seal and stop it. Just find her book or whatever she’s using and reverse the process."
"’We need to.’ Peter, why you?" Dean asked, turning on him. Sam recognized the expression in Dean's eyes, a kind of appraisal that said, "Why do you think you're good enough?"
"She’s collecting specials, and we know she's lost at least three people she’s… possessed in the past few months. If he brings me in, there's no way they'll not take him in," Peter said, with a sideways glance at Sam. Sam wondered if Peter was reading his mind, and maybe passing it on to Nathan. Peter seemed a lot calmer about the situation than Sam, and Nathan was practically an iceberg of cool next to Dean's passionate ranting.
"Besides, Peter can teleport… amongst other things. If things get too hot, there's an escape route handy," Nathan said with inescapable logic. "They'll make a good team. Between the two of them they know all the dangers of everything they're facing."
Which was, Sam reflected, an overstatement, but one calculated to calm Dean down. And Nathan was succeeding far better than him. Well, Dean wasn't used to losing arguments with Sam, but Nathan was another story. He had the same easy authority as their father, but without the old baggage.
"This is the worst damn idea," Dean said finally, and Sam heard acquiescence in his tone.
"Dean, I don't like this any more than you do, but someone has to go in, and Peter and I are the best shot."
"You come back a demon god or something and I'm totally going to kick your ass," Dean promised.
"Of course," Nathan said briskly. "Now, Sam and Peter will have to take your car..."
"Oh hell no..."
“Dean, we have to make them think that I’ve broken off with you. They won’t believe that I’m defecting otherwise. The Impala's your baby, and everyone knows it. If I have the car, they’ll think I’m serious,” Sam said. Dean looked like he was about ready to chew nails and spit out tacks.
“Please,” Sam pleaded, his voice softening. “We have to make this work.”
Dean worked his jaw twice, and jerked his head in affirmation. "At least you'll look like a bad-ass if you're driving her."
“Yeah… just one last thing…” Peter piped up, breaking through the tense moment. “I don’t think we’re going to get lucky enough to find this book or whatever on our first run-through.”
“Ok…”
“All of Caroline’s specials, all the ones we think we’ve found, have been possessed,” Peter said, biting his lip and looking at Nathan.
Sam would have expected Nathan to be having a full-on Dean-style hissy-fit at what Peter had just said, but instead he just looked incredibly grim. The looks the Petrelli brothers were exchanging, however, could have ripped through an engine block. Sam was now positive Peter was thinking at Nathan. Well, if that spared this conversation one more verbal screaming match, that was fine by him.
“Can you block a demon?” Sam asked. He had no idea if Peter’s mental mojo could even affect demons. It certainly hadn’t helped Peter the last time he’d tangled with a demon.
“Matt’s been teaching me everything he knows, but I’d need to practice against that… specifically,” Peter said. He gave Nathan a sharp glance, and Nathan’s eyes slid over to Sam’s.
Shit, Sam thought suddenly. Nathan had been there when Ruby had warned him about the old spells; Sam had told him what Ruby was. And now Peter was obliquely asking if Ruby would help him.
--
Dean was awake when Sam came back. He sat in a chair next to the dirty little window of their motel room. Just sat: not leafing through Dad's journal, not sharpening his knives, not watching porn, just sitting. Waiting for Sam. It was almost enough to make Sam feel guilty.
"Where've you been?" Dean asked.
"Out." It was the same old dance. Sam wasn't even sure why Dean bothered anymore.
"I woke up, and you weren't here," Dean said. That wasn't a question, so Sam didn't bother to attempt a response. Instead, he toed off his shoes and started getting ready for bed. Dean went on. "I went down to the bar, had a few drinks."
Sam flinched. He didn't like to think of Dean doing that: drinking alone, without someone to watch his back. Sure, there'd been years of that, when Sam had been at Stanford, but these days sure as hell weren't those days.
"Thought you'd be back before I was," Dean said. "But you weren't."
"I was busy," Sam said shortly. He knew he should have a better response. He wanted to be able to tell Dean he was sorry. But he wasn't sorry. And he couldn't stop doing what he was doing just to babysit his brother. "I'm here now."
"Sam." Dean heaved a sigh, and Sam saw the fight go out of him. "I'm going to bed."
The prospect of facing a night in bed getting the cold shoulder, Sam felt restlessness overtake him again. "I forgot something," he said softly. "In the car."
From under the covers, Dean snorted.
Sam went back to Ruby.
--
“I know someone who could help with that,” Sam said slowly.
Dean all but threw up his hands. “Fine, fuck, whatever, are we staying here tonight?” Dean asked.
“Just for tonight,” Sam said, and looked significantly at Peter. “We have some work to do.”
"Ok," Peter said softly. "I'll be out in a minute, all right?"
Catching the tension between Peter and Nathan with no problem, Sam jerked his head to the door, and followed Dean out. In the muggy Georgia night, Sam's skin immediately felt clammy. The goosebumps that broke out all over his body could only partially be blamed on the weather. The set of Dean's shoulders boded no good for Sam, and all the anger he'd been choking back a few minutes ago were going to find an outlet, and soon.
Sam kept waiting for the axe to fall as Dean opened up the car and they both climbed inside.
"It's important," Dean said abruptly.
"What?"
"The seal in Caroline's place. It's important; if we don't stop this one, then the others fall easily. Castiel told me about it. So whatever the fuck you're doing with Ruby better be worth it, because it's not just Nathan and Peter's asses on the line if we screw this one up," Dean said heatedly, staring straight ahead, not meeting Sam's eyes. "I'll be back in the morning. Get out."
Sam stared at him for a long minute, blinking in confusion.
"Get out, Sam," Dean repeated, his voice rough with emotion. Sam got out of the Impala, just saving his feet from getting run over as Dean started the engine and backed up so fast he left several feet of rubber on the pavement. Sam's jaw was clenched together so hard it ached, and his fists were balled up at his sides.
"Good thing the place I have in mind is close," said a voice from behind him. Sam turned to see Ruby standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. "What?" she asked, "You texted me, remember? Let's get going if you're going to practice."
"This time it’s not me who needs to practice, Ruby."
+++++
"No."
"Nathan-."
"No, Peter. I've let some terrible things happen to you, but I will not let you do this to yourself, not when-."
"Nathan, I have to," Peter said, cutting him off. Nathan glared at him, standing up with his arms crossed. Peter stared up at his brother, trying to make him understand, and stood up right in his space, not wanting to let Nathan bully him.
"Peter, you had to save the cheerleader, you had to save New York, you had to save that dam, you had to save that girl... And every time I've had to try to save you from dying, save you from getting caught..." Nathan trailed off, eloquence deserting him. His voice was ragged, all his emotion coming out from being repressed in front of the Winchesters. He hadn't argued in front of them, and he needed to now. "Peter, I can't be there to help you this time. You're honestly talking about letting one of those things into you again. I don't think either of us can deal with three weeks of screaming nightmares again."
--
"Peter. Pete!"
Peter jolted awake. Nathan was leaning over him, shaking him by the shoulders.
"What?" Peter said. He felt achy, and sort of sick, and he was sweating, even in the cool recycled air of the hotel room.
"You were screaming again," Nathan said grimly.
Peter slumped back against the pillows. "Sorry," he muttered.
"Don't be sorry." Nathan settled himself against the headboard and pulled Peter into his lap. Peter went eagerly. "Tell me what I can do."
Peter shook his head against Nathan's chest. "It's just the same dream again. About the... About the thing."
"The demon."
"Yeah."
They sat in silence for awhile, Nathan petting Peter's hair and rocking him as he came down from the adrenaline high of his nightmare.
"Still got your charm?" Nathan asked eventually.
Peter felt for the bracelet on his wrist: the one that held the charm against possession that Dean had given him. Nathan had an identical one on his ankle. "Yeah," he said.
"Okay, then." Nathan kissed the top of his head. "You know I won't let anything happen to you, don't you?"
Peter sighed. He knew Nathan would try, but there were some things from which even his big brother couldn't protect him.
--
"I have to," Peter said, and put his hand on the drawings.
"No," Nathan said firmly, and reached out for them.
"Nathan, what are you doing?" Peter asked, not letting them go.
"Let me get rid of them. Throw them away. Burn them. Peter, you're answering this call to arms from some force you don't even understand. Every time we do this, the stakes get higher, the cost gets higher. We don't have to answer every time 'destiny' knocks on your frontal lobe!"
Peter took a step closer to Nathan, pressing their foreheads together, feeling the tension all throughout his body. He didn't need telepathy to know Nathan was nearing the end of his rope. Following drawings of the future, averting genocide, preventing the apocalypse, Nathan could take anything in stride except the possibility of losing Peter. The idea of sending Peter into a demon's den with an actual demon inside of him had pushed him over the line.
"Yes, we do," Peter said, putting a hand on Nathan's neck, holding him close so he couldn't push away to rant. "I can do this Nathan. I'm strong, I can handle it. Us, Sam, and Dean are the only ones who can do this. Dean needs me to look after Sam. Sam needs you to look after Dean. Please, Nathan," Peter begged.
Nathan just stood there, his hand coming up to Peter's neck, holding them firmly together. For maybe a dozen ragged breaths they just stood that way, head to head, still and breathing, Peter feeling the muscles jump in Nathan's neck and forehead as he thought everything through. Peter deliberately didn't listen in, and kept his mind blank.
"I want to go in there with you. I don't want you out of my sight. I don't want to lose you."
Three sentences, short and to the point, a painful distillation of all of Nathan's reservations. The cost in pride to say that had been cruel, Peter knew.
"You know you can't. I have to go in with Sam. I wish we didn't have to do this apart, but you know we have to. I love you, and I'm not going to leave you," Peter responded.
Nathan couldn't argue against that. He wanted to. He very much wanted to rail against Destiny and Fate, but Destiny, as the Petrelli brothers knew from intimate personal experience, was far less frightening when you willingly walked into her embrace with open eyes.
Nathan's eyes were liquid when Peter pulled away, but he didn't say anything, afraid to push Nathan one way or the other until he'd said his decision out loud.
"Go on. Go talk to Sam, do what you have to do to get ready," Nathan said abruptly. You make damn sure you come back to me in one piece, or so help me God... Nathan's thought came through loud and clear, and Peter nodded. It wouldn't hurt to get God on their side either, considering what was about to happen. Taking a steadying breath, Peter left to go find Sam.
+++++
"So...You need a body to function?" Peter said slowly.
"That's right." Ruby nodded.
Peter pointedly looked her up and down. "Is that a volunteer?"
Ruby glanced over at Sam, where he sat sullenly at the room's only table. "Coma victim, actually,” she said. “One hundred percent recycled. Totally ethical."
Peter looked at Sam suspiciously. "It's true," Sam said. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."
"I do have to," Peter said. "We can't afford to have my powers used against us." Peter knew Sam couldn't argue with that. He and Dean had been lucky to survive going up against the demon that had possessed Peter last year, and she hadn't really understood the weapon at their disposal. If Peter was taken by a demon that really knew what it was doing, no one in his path would stand a chance. "Go on," he said before he could lose his nerve.
"Okay then." Ruby threw herself down on the couch. "Let's do this."
A column of black smoke thundered out of Ruby's mouth, and her body went slack. Then the smoke was flying toward Peter. He'd thought he'd been prepared to feel this again: choking on the darkness forcing its way down his throat. At first he could still move, and his hands flew to his throat, as if he could keep the demon out that way. Then his body stopped responding.
Ruby's control overwhelmed his like an oil slick spreading over the surface of a lake. Peter tried to fight, but he couldn't get a mental hold on any part of the demon. Soon enough, he was raging and bubbling under his own skin as the demon took over control of his body.
Ruby stretched out a hand, admiring Peter's nails. "That kinda tingled," she said in Peter's voice.
Peter tried to concentrate his power and push Ruby out, but he found that he couldn't access his abilities any more than he could access the rest of his body.
"What do you think?" Ruby held out Peter's arms and turned around slowly in front of Sam. "Do you like this body?"
"Is he fighting?" Sam asked as he stood up.
Ruby shrugged Peter's shoulders. "He doesn't seem to be trying that hard. Come on now," she said, tapping Peter on the nose. "Remember what's at stake here." Peter felt his body smile, and remembered Dean's warning about demons' powers to read thoughts. "You probably just need more motivation. Is that it, Peter?"
Ruby stripped off Peter's shirt and tossed it onto the bed. She ran a finger gently down his sternum. "What do you think, Sam? See anything you like?" She looked up at Sam through Peter's long, dark eyelashes.
"Stop screwing around Ruby. Get out so we can try this again."
She sauntered toward Sam, rocking Peter's hips as she went. "What if I don't?"
Peter threw himself against Ruby's control, scrabbling against the mental barrier keeping him contained. Nothing gave.
"I could make you get out," Sam said.
"Yeah. But that wouldn't help old Pete here get the edge he needs." She slid Peter's body up against Sam's, pressing Peter's hands to Sam's broad chest. "He needs to learn to do this himself."
Peter tried to find something to grab hold of, to push or pull or grasp. He felt helpless without his body, unable to focus his mind or his energy on the invisible force that held him.
"That's enough." Sam grabbed Peter's wrists, holding them up to stop Ruby from groping him. Undeterred, she reached up to kiss him, Peter's lips pressing into Sam's, his tongue slipping deftly into Sam's mouth.
"Ruby," Sam growled. Peter could feel Sam squeezing his wrists tighter, warningly.
"It's just research, Sammy," Ruby said. She was able to make Peter's voice low and husky. "Which brother tastes better? Nathan, or this one?" She reached up to kiss him again.
A flash of anger shook through Peter. That shouldn't piss him off as much as it did. He and Nathan had an understanding. But somehow, the thought of Nathan opening himself up to Sam, being pressed against Sam the way Peter was now, left him insensible with rage. He threw himself again against his captor. He distilled his frustration into a razor-sharp edge that sliced through the bonds holding his mind and allowed him to access his powers. Out, he shouted, a mental command fueled by anger and frustration. Then black smoke was pouring out of his mouth. Control, and the weight of his body, came rushing back, and the first thing he did was punch Sam in the face.
Sam reeled backwards, falling against the door of the motel room and cursing. Peter stretched, testing out his hard-won mastery of his own body. He couldn't help but feel a little smug.
On the couch, Ruby sat up. "So that went well," she said.
Sam, rubbing his sore jaw, growled.
+++++
Dean drove out his anger at ninety miles an hour on a deserted stretch of highway outside Lake End. He stopped for a six pack, and it wasn't until he was unlocking the door to the hotel room that he remembered Nathan.
The television was on, tuned to football, of all things. Funny. Dean would have pegged Nathan as more of a golf guy. But Dean plopped down on the couch anyway. He pulled the top off of his first bottle of the night, and had downed a few frosty swigs before he remembered his manners.
"You want one?" he asked Nathan.
"No thanks. Can't."
"What, are you an alcoholic or something?" When Nathan shot him a dirty look, Dean cursed under his breath. Right.
They sat and watched the game in complete silence for the first quarter. Eventually, after two beers, Dean stopped caring about Nathan's crappy mood, and his own, and let himself pay attention to the game. "Army needs to step up their running game," he observed.
"It's always been crap," Nathan said. "Navy's got this."
"Yeah, well." Dean took another swig of his beer. "Throwing balls ain't like flying planes. Obviously, or I'd expect these guys to complete a pass a little more often, if you know what I'm saying."
A few more plays went by in silence. "You serve?" Nathan asked.
Dean shot him a sidelong glance. Seemed like an odd question. "No," he said. "Dad was a marine. So..." He shrugged. "Semper fi, I guess."
"I was in the Navy," Nathan said. He clipped the last word, as if he hadn't meant to say it.
"Huh." Dean had never pegged Nathan as a military man, but he supposed it made sense. Nathan did have that same sort of discipline John Winchester had always had. "Pilot?"
"Yeah."
"Cool." Dean settled back, feeling a little more relaxed, at least, now that Nathan was talking. "Not a big fan of planes, myself, but I always thought it'd be cool to fly. Y'know. Like... Top Gun style."
Nathan shot him an expression he couldn't read. "Yeah," Nathan said. "It's certainly...something."
+++++
"It's not enough to be able to push me out, you realize," Ruby said.
Peter paused with the burger Sam had brought halfway to his mouth. "Why not?"
Ruby rolled her eyes. "This chickadee has to believe that you're possessed. That means keeping the demon inside you and acting like he's driving."
"Okay," Peter said. "How do I do that?"
Ruby shrugged. "Hell if I know. You can do things I've never seen before. My area of expertise is magic, and that's not you."
"Any suggestions?" Peter looked to Sam.
"I've never had any reason to want to keep a demon inside me," Sam said pointedly. "And I never met anyone who has." He took another bite of his burger and chewed happily. If Peter didn't know better, he'd think Sam was enjoying Peter's frustration.
"Just because we've never heard of it doesn't mean it's impossible," said Ruby.
"Have you met him?" Peter asked, pointing at Sam. "He has a research addiction. If there was any reference anywhere in history to something like this happening, he would have found it."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Ruby said with a smirk. "So what? You going to give up?"
"No," Peter sputtered. "But if I'm going to figure this out, I think Sam should work on it too."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asked through a mouth full of burger.
"What if they decide your little bit of demon blood isn't quite badass enough? What if they want you to get possessed, too?"
Sam pulled his shirt aside to reveal his anti-possession tattoo. "Oh, right," Peter said sheepishly.
"Oh honey, they wouldn't even if they could," Ruby said seriously. "Sam's enough of a prize on his own, believe me."
"So I hear," Peter muttered darkly.
+++++
One day ago
It had taken them the better part of the day to make it to Lake End, but it took Sam, master of county archives, only a few hours to find the only possible place where this Caroline could be hiding out. It took Dean and Peter, masters of gossip, less time to find locals willing to talk about recent activity. And it took Nathan, master of paperwork, only a little more time to start getting a potential smoke screen in place.
“The Abernathy place is the epicenter for all the activity,” Sam was saying, as they all crowded around the little table in the motel room. “All the storms, all the disturbances, it all comes back to this place. It’s been abandoned for six months, with most of the property being donated to Louisiana State… If the records are right, this place was owned by the same family for nearly a hundred years before the line died out. Apparently the original patriarch had a bride who was rumored to be some kind of hoodoo witch.”
“Yeah, well, locals say a bunch of college kids have been going out there, but no one really remembers them coming back out,” Dean put in.
“So it’s probably not just specials this woman is… possessing,” Nathan said. Sam and Dean nodded. “How many people does she have in there?”
“No one really knows,” Peter said. “Some of the other residents along that road have filed complaints about kids trespassing on their property, but they aren't exactly comparing notes to check for overlap. More than ten, less than thirty. Probably.”
Dean refrained from biting his lip. This was getting harder and harder every time he thought about the plan. The idea of Sam trying to maintain his façade around thirty possessed made his skin crawl. But what other choice did they have?
“Ok, so we definitely have the right place. So how do we get you two in?” Dean asked.
“We know they’re recruiting. Ruby can find one of the local guys for us and point me in his direction. If I ask, and if I have Peter as ‘proof’ that I’m really, sincerely interested, I don’t think they’ll be able to refuse,” Sam said flatly. Dean glared at him for even mentioning Ruby, but didn’t speak up. They’d argued too much over the past few months; he wouldn’t do it again in front of the Petrellis.
Nathan also went stonily silent, and Dean got the idea that this plan might be bringing up some long-running argument between the Petrellis as well.
“I think that’ll work,” Peter put in, with a half-glance in Nathan’s direction. Whatever that look meant, it seemed to break the tension.
“Fine. Once you’re in, Dean and I can get these ‘recruiters’ under control to give you the time you need,” Nathan said. He was clearly determined to pull his own weight in this, even if he had to manufacture ways to be useful. Dean remembered feeling so powerless to help his brother the last time they’d been separated, and Nathan had to be feeling the same way.
“I have a few ideas on how to control access to the place. And what I can’t figure out legally…” Nathan trailed off suggestively and waved at Dean, throwing the imaginary ball in his court.
“Heh, yeah. That’ll be fun. Until Caroline wonders why her boys aren’t checking in,” Dean pointed out. Legal loopholes didn’t mean shit to demons unless they were trying to be stealthy.
“Well, if you can handle the demons, I can make things difficult for Bennet’s people,” Nathan said.
Dean realized that Nathan was repeating himself. He recognized the behavior; Nathan was trying to draw out and argue over every detail to delay the inevitable departure.
Peter had obviously caught on, too. “Let’s get going then,” Peter said, standing up abruptly. “The faster we get this done, the better.”
There was the briefest of hesitations before the brothers pulled each other into farewell embraces.
“Be careful Pete,” Nathan said, pulling away after a long moment. The expression on his face clearly indicated that if Peter didn’t come out of this all right, there would be a reckoning.
“Love you,” was all Peter said in return.
“Take care of my car,” Dean admonished Sam, tightening his embrace to the point of nearly caving in ribs. He couldn’t say anything more, couldn’t warn Sam enough, tell him he loved him enough…
“If I can breathe, I will,” Sam responded, trying to make a joke out of it. Dean released him reluctantly, and slowly handed him the keys.
“Ok, let’s do this,” Peter said finally, and Sam and Peter picked up their bags and left, leaving Nathan and Dean alone. For a long moment the two stood awkwardly, listening to the closing of doors, and the rumble of the Impala’s engine as it pulled away.
“You ok?” Dean asked into the silence. Nathan was standing so still Dean was afraid he’d crack in half if he moved.
“Sam had better know what he’s doing,” Nathan said flatly.
Dean looked at him sideways, face going hard. Despite the whole mess of problems he and Sam were having, Sam was still his brother, and Dean would poke his own eyes out with rusty nails before maligning him in front of another person.
“He knows,” Dean said tightly.
“Good, because if Peter ends up getting hurt because of this, I’m going to kill you.” With that, Nathan picked up his briefcase and walked out the door.
“You’re kidding, right?” Dean demanded of Nathan’s back.
No answer.
“Nathan?” he called anxiously.
Next part
Previous part
Master Post
Authors:
jaune_chat and brighteyed_jillArt: by
xkelorosiamano is at her graphics community.Pairings: Every combination of Nathan and Peter Petrelli and Sam and Dean Winchester
Rating: NC-17
Warning: See Part One for full list
Spoilers: Supernatural--though 4x16. Heroes--vague ones for Season 2
Authors' notes: Written for
sncross_bigbang. Beta and calling-us-to-the-mat-badassery by the intimidatingly awesome redandglendaSummary: Sam and Dean discover demons have been possessing people with special abilities that have nothing to do with magic. Peter draws a future that reunites him and Nathan with the Winchester brothers. Together they find out that specials--people whose powers come from an unusual inherited gene-- are being targeted for possession by a woman who is on the verge of breaking one of the sixty-six seals.
Three days ago
“So, I bet we can find this place without too much trouble. How do we sneak in?” Dean asked, leaning against the dresser in their room in the Tower Plaza Motel. Peter had managed to deposit them back in Atlanta without any post-apocalyptic future incident Sam could see. Or at least the sky wasn’t on fire and robots weren’t roaming through the streets.
“We don’t,” Nathan said, and reached into his briefcase to pull out another one of Peter’s drawings. Spreading it out over the table, they all could see a clear drawing of Sam beside a slight brunette woman, standing next to the Impala. Beside them, two people, a black man and a redhead woman, held up a slumping Peter. Behind them was a decaying mansion; mangrove trees and Spanish moss set the scene. “Sam and Peter will,” he stated with the finality of physical law.
Looking at the picture, Sam felt the plan click into place in his mind. And Dean wasn’t going to like it.
"Why them?" Dean asked furiously.
"Peter drew it. That's good enough for me," Nathan said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"It's too fucking dangerous. Sam, we don't know how many demons they have in there. They could be waiting for you to do something stupid like this-."
"Dean! I don't think we're going to be able to get in any other way. Literally, we're not going to be able to find this place unless they lead us in," Sam cut in, forcing himself to ignore the "stupid" remark.
"And how do you know that?" Dean demanded.
"Look, Ruby told me-."
"Sam..." Dean said warningly.
Sam ignored him. "--That Caroline is using spells. Real spells and wards, ones so old that no one's been able to use them in centuries, something she got out of ancient texts. One of the spells is to conceal. Demons can't figure it out, angels can't find it, so I don't think we're going to be able to get to it either unless they want us there. And Dean, I have something they want," Sam said, and laid a hand on his own chest.
"No, no fucking way, no goddamn fucking way! They'll get their claws into you," Dean shouted.
"I won't let them. We just need to stay in long enough to figure out how she's breaking the seal and stop it. Just find her book or whatever she’s using and reverse the process."
"’We need to.’ Peter, why you?" Dean asked, turning on him. Sam recognized the expression in Dean's eyes, a kind of appraisal that said, "Why do you think you're good enough?"
"She’s collecting specials, and we know she's lost at least three people she’s… possessed in the past few months. If he brings me in, there's no way they'll not take him in," Peter said, with a sideways glance at Sam. Sam wondered if Peter was reading his mind, and maybe passing it on to Nathan. Peter seemed a lot calmer about the situation than Sam, and Nathan was practically an iceberg of cool next to Dean's passionate ranting.
"Besides, Peter can teleport… amongst other things. If things get too hot, there's an escape route handy," Nathan said with inescapable logic. "They'll make a good team. Between the two of them they know all the dangers of everything they're facing."
Which was, Sam reflected, an overstatement, but one calculated to calm Dean down. And Nathan was succeeding far better than him. Well, Dean wasn't used to losing arguments with Sam, but Nathan was another story. He had the same easy authority as their father, but without the old baggage.
"This is the worst damn idea," Dean said finally, and Sam heard acquiescence in his tone.
"Dean, I don't like this any more than you do, but someone has to go in, and Peter and I are the best shot."
"You come back a demon god or something and I'm totally going to kick your ass," Dean promised.
"Of course," Nathan said briskly. "Now, Sam and Peter will have to take your car..."
"Oh hell no..."
“Dean, we have to make them think that I’ve broken off with you. They won’t believe that I’m defecting otherwise. The Impala's your baby, and everyone knows it. If I have the car, they’ll think I’m serious,” Sam said. Dean looked like he was about ready to chew nails and spit out tacks.
“Please,” Sam pleaded, his voice softening. “We have to make this work.”
Dean worked his jaw twice, and jerked his head in affirmation. "At least you'll look like a bad-ass if you're driving her."
“Yeah… just one last thing…” Peter piped up, breaking through the tense moment. “I don’t think we’re going to get lucky enough to find this book or whatever on our first run-through.”
“Ok…”
“All of Caroline’s specials, all the ones we think we’ve found, have been possessed,” Peter said, biting his lip and looking at Nathan.
Sam would have expected Nathan to be having a full-on Dean-style hissy-fit at what Peter had just said, but instead he just looked incredibly grim. The looks the Petrelli brothers were exchanging, however, could have ripped through an engine block. Sam was now positive Peter was thinking at Nathan. Well, if that spared this conversation one more verbal screaming match, that was fine by him.
“Can you block a demon?” Sam asked. He had no idea if Peter’s mental mojo could even affect demons. It certainly hadn’t helped Peter the last time he’d tangled with a demon.
“Matt’s been teaching me everything he knows, but I’d need to practice against that… specifically,” Peter said. He gave Nathan a sharp glance, and Nathan’s eyes slid over to Sam’s.
Shit, Sam thought suddenly. Nathan had been there when Ruby had warned him about the old spells; Sam had told him what Ruby was. And now Peter was obliquely asking if Ruby would help him.
--
Dean was awake when Sam came back. He sat in a chair next to the dirty little window of their motel room. Just sat: not leafing through Dad's journal, not sharpening his knives, not watching porn, just sitting. Waiting for Sam. It was almost enough to make Sam feel guilty.
"Where've you been?" Dean asked.
"Out." It was the same old dance. Sam wasn't even sure why Dean bothered anymore.
"I woke up, and you weren't here," Dean said. That wasn't a question, so Sam didn't bother to attempt a response. Instead, he toed off his shoes and started getting ready for bed. Dean went on. "I went down to the bar, had a few drinks."
Sam flinched. He didn't like to think of Dean doing that: drinking alone, without someone to watch his back. Sure, there'd been years of that, when Sam had been at Stanford, but these days sure as hell weren't those days.
"Thought you'd be back before I was," Dean said. "But you weren't."
"I was busy," Sam said shortly. He knew he should have a better response. He wanted to be able to tell Dean he was sorry. But he wasn't sorry. And he couldn't stop doing what he was doing just to babysit his brother. "I'm here now."
"Sam." Dean heaved a sigh, and Sam saw the fight go out of him. "I'm going to bed."
The prospect of facing a night in bed getting the cold shoulder, Sam felt restlessness overtake him again. "I forgot something," he said softly. "In the car."
From under the covers, Dean snorted.
Sam went back to Ruby.
--
“I know someone who could help with that,” Sam said slowly.
Dean all but threw up his hands. “Fine, fuck, whatever, are we staying here tonight?” Dean asked.
“Just for tonight,” Sam said, and looked significantly at Peter. “We have some work to do.”
"Ok," Peter said softly. "I'll be out in a minute, all right?"
Catching the tension between Peter and Nathan with no problem, Sam jerked his head to the door, and followed Dean out. In the muggy Georgia night, Sam's skin immediately felt clammy. The goosebumps that broke out all over his body could only partially be blamed on the weather. The set of Dean's shoulders boded no good for Sam, and all the anger he'd been choking back a few minutes ago were going to find an outlet, and soon.
Sam kept waiting for the axe to fall as Dean opened up the car and they both climbed inside.
"It's important," Dean said abruptly.
"What?"
"The seal in Caroline's place. It's important; if we don't stop this one, then the others fall easily. Castiel told me about it. So whatever the fuck you're doing with Ruby better be worth it, because it's not just Nathan and Peter's asses on the line if we screw this one up," Dean said heatedly, staring straight ahead, not meeting Sam's eyes. "I'll be back in the morning. Get out."
Sam stared at him for a long minute, blinking in confusion.
"Get out, Sam," Dean repeated, his voice rough with emotion. Sam got out of the Impala, just saving his feet from getting run over as Dean started the engine and backed up so fast he left several feet of rubber on the pavement. Sam's jaw was clenched together so hard it ached, and his fists were balled up at his sides.
"Good thing the place I have in mind is close," said a voice from behind him. Sam turned to see Ruby standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. "What?" she asked, "You texted me, remember? Let's get going if you're going to practice."
"This time it’s not me who needs to practice, Ruby."
+++++
"No."
"Nathan-."
"No, Peter. I've let some terrible things happen to you, but I will not let you do this to yourself, not when-."
"Nathan, I have to," Peter said, cutting him off. Nathan glared at him, standing up with his arms crossed. Peter stared up at his brother, trying to make him understand, and stood up right in his space, not wanting to let Nathan bully him.
"Peter, you had to save the cheerleader, you had to save New York, you had to save that dam, you had to save that girl... And every time I've had to try to save you from dying, save you from getting caught..." Nathan trailed off, eloquence deserting him. His voice was ragged, all his emotion coming out from being repressed in front of the Winchesters. He hadn't argued in front of them, and he needed to now. "Peter, I can't be there to help you this time. You're honestly talking about letting one of those things into you again. I don't think either of us can deal with three weeks of screaming nightmares again."
--
"Peter. Pete!"
Peter jolted awake. Nathan was leaning over him, shaking him by the shoulders.
"What?" Peter said. He felt achy, and sort of sick, and he was sweating, even in the cool recycled air of the hotel room.
"You were screaming again," Nathan said grimly.
Peter slumped back against the pillows. "Sorry," he muttered.
"Don't be sorry." Nathan settled himself against the headboard and pulled Peter into his lap. Peter went eagerly. "Tell me what I can do."
Peter shook his head against Nathan's chest. "It's just the same dream again. About the... About the thing."
"The demon."
"Yeah."
They sat in silence for awhile, Nathan petting Peter's hair and rocking him as he came down from the adrenaline high of his nightmare.
"Still got your charm?" Nathan asked eventually.
Peter felt for the bracelet on his wrist: the one that held the charm against possession that Dean had given him. Nathan had an identical one on his ankle. "Yeah," he said.
"Okay, then." Nathan kissed the top of his head. "You know I won't let anything happen to you, don't you?"
Peter sighed. He knew Nathan would try, but there were some things from which even his big brother couldn't protect him.
--
"I have to," Peter said, and put his hand on the drawings.
"No," Nathan said firmly, and reached out for them.
"Nathan, what are you doing?" Peter asked, not letting them go.
"Let me get rid of them. Throw them away. Burn them. Peter, you're answering this call to arms from some force you don't even understand. Every time we do this, the stakes get higher, the cost gets higher. We don't have to answer every time 'destiny' knocks on your frontal lobe!"
Peter took a step closer to Nathan, pressing their foreheads together, feeling the tension all throughout his body. He didn't need telepathy to know Nathan was nearing the end of his rope. Following drawings of the future, averting genocide, preventing the apocalypse, Nathan could take anything in stride except the possibility of losing Peter. The idea of sending Peter into a demon's den with an actual demon inside of him had pushed him over the line.
"Yes, we do," Peter said, putting a hand on Nathan's neck, holding him close so he couldn't push away to rant. "I can do this Nathan. I'm strong, I can handle it. Us, Sam, and Dean are the only ones who can do this. Dean needs me to look after Sam. Sam needs you to look after Dean. Please, Nathan," Peter begged.
Nathan just stood there, his hand coming up to Peter's neck, holding them firmly together. For maybe a dozen ragged breaths they just stood that way, head to head, still and breathing, Peter feeling the muscles jump in Nathan's neck and forehead as he thought everything through. Peter deliberately didn't listen in, and kept his mind blank.
"I want to go in there with you. I don't want you out of my sight. I don't want to lose you."
Three sentences, short and to the point, a painful distillation of all of Nathan's reservations. The cost in pride to say that had been cruel, Peter knew.
"You know you can't. I have to go in with Sam. I wish we didn't have to do this apart, but you know we have to. I love you, and I'm not going to leave you," Peter responded.
Nathan couldn't argue against that. He wanted to. He very much wanted to rail against Destiny and Fate, but Destiny, as the Petrelli brothers knew from intimate personal experience, was far less frightening when you willingly walked into her embrace with open eyes.
Nathan's eyes were liquid when Peter pulled away, but he didn't say anything, afraid to push Nathan one way or the other until he'd said his decision out loud.
"Go on. Go talk to Sam, do what you have to do to get ready," Nathan said abruptly. You make damn sure you come back to me in one piece, or so help me God... Nathan's thought came through loud and clear, and Peter nodded. It wouldn't hurt to get God on their side either, considering what was about to happen. Taking a steadying breath, Peter left to go find Sam.
+++++
"So...You need a body to function?" Peter said slowly.
"That's right." Ruby nodded.
Peter pointedly looked her up and down. "Is that a volunteer?"
Ruby glanced over at Sam, where he sat sullenly at the room's only table. "Coma victim, actually,” she said. “One hundred percent recycled. Totally ethical."
Peter looked at Sam suspiciously. "It's true," Sam said. "You don't have to do this if you don't want to."
"I do have to," Peter said. "We can't afford to have my powers used against us." Peter knew Sam couldn't argue with that. He and Dean had been lucky to survive going up against the demon that had possessed Peter last year, and she hadn't really understood the weapon at their disposal. If Peter was taken by a demon that really knew what it was doing, no one in his path would stand a chance. "Go on," he said before he could lose his nerve.
"Okay then." Ruby threw herself down on the couch. "Let's do this."
A column of black smoke thundered out of Ruby's mouth, and her body went slack. Then the smoke was flying toward Peter. He'd thought he'd been prepared to feel this again: choking on the darkness forcing its way down his throat. At first he could still move, and his hands flew to his throat, as if he could keep the demon out that way. Then his body stopped responding.
Ruby's control overwhelmed his like an oil slick spreading over the surface of a lake. Peter tried to fight, but he couldn't get a mental hold on any part of the demon. Soon enough, he was raging and bubbling under his own skin as the demon took over control of his body.
Ruby stretched out a hand, admiring Peter's nails. "That kinda tingled," she said in Peter's voice.
Peter tried to concentrate his power and push Ruby out, but he found that he couldn't access his abilities any more than he could access the rest of his body.
"What do you think?" Ruby held out Peter's arms and turned around slowly in front of Sam. "Do you like this body?"
"Is he fighting?" Sam asked as he stood up.
Ruby shrugged Peter's shoulders. "He doesn't seem to be trying that hard. Come on now," she said, tapping Peter on the nose. "Remember what's at stake here." Peter felt his body smile, and remembered Dean's warning about demons' powers to read thoughts. "You probably just need more motivation. Is that it, Peter?"
Ruby stripped off Peter's shirt and tossed it onto the bed. She ran a finger gently down his sternum. "What do you think, Sam? See anything you like?" She looked up at Sam through Peter's long, dark eyelashes.
"Stop screwing around Ruby. Get out so we can try this again."
She sauntered toward Sam, rocking Peter's hips as she went. "What if I don't?"
Peter threw himself against Ruby's control, scrabbling against the mental barrier keeping him contained. Nothing gave.
"I could make you get out," Sam said.
"Yeah. But that wouldn't help old Pete here get the edge he needs." She slid Peter's body up against Sam's, pressing Peter's hands to Sam's broad chest. "He needs to learn to do this himself."
Peter tried to find something to grab hold of, to push or pull or grasp. He felt helpless without his body, unable to focus his mind or his energy on the invisible force that held him.
"That's enough." Sam grabbed Peter's wrists, holding them up to stop Ruby from groping him. Undeterred, she reached up to kiss him, Peter's lips pressing into Sam's, his tongue slipping deftly into Sam's mouth.
"Ruby," Sam growled. Peter could feel Sam squeezing his wrists tighter, warningly.
"It's just research, Sammy," Ruby said. She was able to make Peter's voice low and husky. "Which brother tastes better? Nathan, or this one?" She reached up to kiss him again.
A flash of anger shook through Peter. That shouldn't piss him off as much as it did. He and Nathan had an understanding. But somehow, the thought of Nathan opening himself up to Sam, being pressed against Sam the way Peter was now, left him insensible with rage. He threw himself again against his captor. He distilled his frustration into a razor-sharp edge that sliced through the bonds holding his mind and allowed him to access his powers. Out, he shouted, a mental command fueled by anger and frustration. Then black smoke was pouring out of his mouth. Control, and the weight of his body, came rushing back, and the first thing he did was punch Sam in the face.
Sam reeled backwards, falling against the door of the motel room and cursing. Peter stretched, testing out his hard-won mastery of his own body. He couldn't help but feel a little smug.
On the couch, Ruby sat up. "So that went well," she said.
Sam, rubbing his sore jaw, growled.
+++++
Dean drove out his anger at ninety miles an hour on a deserted stretch of highway outside Lake End. He stopped for a six pack, and it wasn't until he was unlocking the door to the hotel room that he remembered Nathan.
The television was on, tuned to football, of all things. Funny. Dean would have pegged Nathan as more of a golf guy. But Dean plopped down on the couch anyway. He pulled the top off of his first bottle of the night, and had downed a few frosty swigs before he remembered his manners.
"You want one?" he asked Nathan.
"No thanks. Can't."
"What, are you an alcoholic or something?" When Nathan shot him a dirty look, Dean cursed under his breath. Right.
They sat and watched the game in complete silence for the first quarter. Eventually, after two beers, Dean stopped caring about Nathan's crappy mood, and his own, and let himself pay attention to the game. "Army needs to step up their running game," he observed.
"It's always been crap," Nathan said. "Navy's got this."
"Yeah, well." Dean took another swig of his beer. "Throwing balls ain't like flying planes. Obviously, or I'd expect these guys to complete a pass a little more often, if you know what I'm saying."
A few more plays went by in silence. "You serve?" Nathan asked.
Dean shot him a sidelong glance. Seemed like an odd question. "No," he said. "Dad was a marine. So..." He shrugged. "Semper fi, I guess."
"I was in the Navy," Nathan said. He clipped the last word, as if he hadn't meant to say it.
"Huh." Dean had never pegged Nathan as a military man, but he supposed it made sense. Nathan did have that same sort of discipline John Winchester had always had. "Pilot?"
"Yeah."
"Cool." Dean settled back, feeling a little more relaxed, at least, now that Nathan was talking. "Not a big fan of planes, myself, but I always thought it'd be cool to fly. Y'know. Like... Top Gun style."
Nathan shot him an expression he couldn't read. "Yeah," Nathan said. "It's certainly...something."
+++++
"It's not enough to be able to push me out, you realize," Ruby said.
Peter paused with the burger Sam had brought halfway to his mouth. "Why not?"
Ruby rolled her eyes. "This chickadee has to believe that you're possessed. That means keeping the demon inside you and acting like he's driving."
"Okay," Peter said. "How do I do that?"
Ruby shrugged. "Hell if I know. You can do things I've never seen before. My area of expertise is magic, and that's not you."
"Any suggestions?" Peter looked to Sam.
"I've never had any reason to want to keep a demon inside me," Sam said pointedly. "And I never met anyone who has." He took another bite of his burger and chewed happily. If Peter didn't know better, he'd think Sam was enjoying Peter's frustration.
"Just because we've never heard of it doesn't mean it's impossible," said Ruby.
"Have you met him?" Peter asked, pointing at Sam. "He has a research addiction. If there was any reference anywhere in history to something like this happening, he would have found it."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Ruby said with a smirk. "So what? You going to give up?"
"No," Peter sputtered. "But if I'm going to figure this out, I think Sam should work on it too."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sam asked through a mouth full of burger.
"What if they decide your little bit of demon blood isn't quite badass enough? What if they want you to get possessed, too?"
Sam pulled his shirt aside to reveal his anti-possession tattoo. "Oh, right," Peter said sheepishly.
"Oh honey, they wouldn't even if they could," Ruby said seriously. "Sam's enough of a prize on his own, believe me."
"So I hear," Peter muttered darkly.
+++++
One day ago
It had taken them the better part of the day to make it to Lake End, but it took Sam, master of county archives, only a few hours to find the only possible place where this Caroline could be hiding out. It took Dean and Peter, masters of gossip, less time to find locals willing to talk about recent activity. And it took Nathan, master of paperwork, only a little more time to start getting a potential smoke screen in place.
“The Abernathy place is the epicenter for all the activity,” Sam was saying, as they all crowded around the little table in the motel room. “All the storms, all the disturbances, it all comes back to this place. It’s been abandoned for six months, with most of the property being donated to Louisiana State… If the records are right, this place was owned by the same family for nearly a hundred years before the line died out. Apparently the original patriarch had a bride who was rumored to be some kind of hoodoo witch.”
“Yeah, well, locals say a bunch of college kids have been going out there, but no one really remembers them coming back out,” Dean put in.
“So it’s probably not just specials this woman is… possessing,” Nathan said. Sam and Dean nodded. “How many people does she have in there?”
“No one really knows,” Peter said. “Some of the other residents along that road have filed complaints about kids trespassing on their property, but they aren't exactly comparing notes to check for overlap. More than ten, less than thirty. Probably.”
Dean refrained from biting his lip. This was getting harder and harder every time he thought about the plan. The idea of Sam trying to maintain his façade around thirty possessed made his skin crawl. But what other choice did they have?
“Ok, so we definitely have the right place. So how do we get you two in?” Dean asked.
“We know they’re recruiting. Ruby can find one of the local guys for us and point me in his direction. If I ask, and if I have Peter as ‘proof’ that I’m really, sincerely interested, I don’t think they’ll be able to refuse,” Sam said flatly. Dean glared at him for even mentioning Ruby, but didn’t speak up. They’d argued too much over the past few months; he wouldn’t do it again in front of the Petrellis.
Nathan also went stonily silent, and Dean got the idea that this plan might be bringing up some long-running argument between the Petrellis as well.
“I think that’ll work,” Peter put in, with a half-glance in Nathan’s direction. Whatever that look meant, it seemed to break the tension.
“Fine. Once you’re in, Dean and I can get these ‘recruiters’ under control to give you the time you need,” Nathan said. He was clearly determined to pull his own weight in this, even if he had to manufacture ways to be useful. Dean remembered feeling so powerless to help his brother the last time they’d been separated, and Nathan had to be feeling the same way.
“I have a few ideas on how to control access to the place. And what I can’t figure out legally…” Nathan trailed off suggestively and waved at Dean, throwing the imaginary ball in his court.
“Heh, yeah. That’ll be fun. Until Caroline wonders why her boys aren’t checking in,” Dean pointed out. Legal loopholes didn’t mean shit to demons unless they were trying to be stealthy.
“Well, if you can handle the demons, I can make things difficult for Bennet’s people,” Nathan said.
Dean realized that Nathan was repeating himself. He recognized the behavior; Nathan was trying to draw out and argue over every detail to delay the inevitable departure.
Peter had obviously caught on, too. “Let’s get going then,” Peter said, standing up abruptly. “The faster we get this done, the better.”
There was the briefest of hesitations before the brothers pulled each other into farewell embraces.
“Be careful Pete,” Nathan said, pulling away after a long moment. The expression on his face clearly indicated that if Peter didn’t come out of this all right, there would be a reckoning.
“Love you,” was all Peter said in return.
“Take care of my car,” Dean admonished Sam, tightening his embrace to the point of nearly caving in ribs. He couldn’t say anything more, couldn’t warn Sam enough, tell him he loved him enough…
“If I can breathe, I will,” Sam responded, trying to make a joke out of it. Dean released him reluctantly, and slowly handed him the keys.
“Ok, let’s do this,” Peter said finally, and Sam and Peter picked up their bags and left, leaving Nathan and Dean alone. For a long moment the two stood awkwardly, listening to the closing of doors, and the rumble of the Impala’s engine as it pulled away.
“You ok?” Dean asked into the silence. Nathan was standing so still Dean was afraid he’d crack in half if he moved.
“Sam had better know what he’s doing,” Nathan said flatly.
Dean looked at him sideways, face going hard. Despite the whole mess of problems he and Sam were having, Sam was still his brother, and Dean would poke his own eyes out with rusty nails before maligning him in front of another person.
“He knows,” Dean said tightly.
“Good, because if Peter ends up getting hurt because of this, I’m going to kill you.” With that, Nathan picked up his briefcase and walked out the door.
“You’re kidding, right?” Dean demanded of Nathan’s back.
No answer.
“Nathan?” he called anxiously.
Next part
Previous part
Master Post
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-05-09 11:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-12 03:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-05-10 08:18 pm (UTC)"I want to go in there with you. I don't want you out of my sight. I don't want to lose you."
Three sentences, short and to the point, a painful distillation of all of Nathan's reservations. The cost in pride to say that had been cruel, Peter knew.
schmeeeeeep
And I already thought the banner killed me.
Wonderful part. :)))
no subject
Date: 2009-05-12 03:25 pm (UTC)