[AU] two worlds, a lot of demons, and a new set of problems

[gavemea_45]

It's still hard to believe it's over; that the yellow-eyed demonic bastard they'd spent their whole lives hunting is finally dead.

Sam figures it'll sink in eventually. Given everything else -- right now he's still pretty numb.

He's also desperately tired, but that doesn't matter. There's something he needs to do, and he can't afford to delay.

He waits until they've settled in for the night, and then waits still longer. Once Dean's been asleep for half an hour, Sam picks up his messenger bag -- already stuffed with books and his computer -- and heads straight for the bar.

He orders black coffee and snags a table with a good view of both doors and the stairs, then pulls out the first of the old texts and starts to search through it.

There's work to do.

Comments

[totalitarstupetballs]

"You too, huh?" she says, sympathetic, like they're talking about an unusual stretch of drought. "Are they localized, at least?"

[gavemea_45]

“Not so much,” he says. “Best we got is that they’re spreading out from the gate.”

[totalitarstupetballs]

She frowns at that, thoughtful, and reaches to idly spin the skull on the table. "Well, that sounds like a problem."

[gavemea_45]

“Yeah.” Dry. “But we’re working on it.” He blinks as she twirls the skull. “Did you say you found that in a piano?”

[totalitarstupetballs]

"Well, in a box, in a piano, yeah."

She lifts her eyebrows at him, quizzical. "Why?"

[gavemea_45]

“It just seems like a weird place to find a skull.” Sam eyes it again. “Anything else odd about the piano?”

[totalitarstupetballs]

"Maybe, but I guess that's why it was a good hiding spot," she points out. "If Uncle Curtis was trying to keep it safe. It's not as though anyone would be going looking in a piano."

[gavemea_45]

“I guess not.” It’s a little dubious. “Why the blacksmith?”

[totalitarstupetballs]

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Waverly shakes her head, uncertain. "I heard she's a witch."

[gavemea_45]

Sam scowls. “That’s no good. Don’t you guys already have trouble with one witch?”

[totalitarstupetballs]

"Yeah, but... that's the Stone Witch," Waverly says, like any of this makes any kind of sense. "A blacksmith doesn't work with stone."

[gavemea_45]

Sam gives her a disbelieving look. “Maybe not, but you think two witches in town don’t know about each other? Maybe enough to be working together on things?”

[totalitarstupetballs]

"But if they're not working together, then maybe the blacksmith can help," Waverly points out. "Besides, Wynonna went to see her already, with Doc."

[gavemea_45]

“Uh-huh.” He sounds as dubious as he feels, but it’s her business. “I’d still keep an eye out for hex bags if I were you.”

[totalitarstupetballs]

"Okay."

A beat. "What are hex bags?"

[gavemea_45]

Looks like Wynonna’s not the only one who’s got some catching up to do. Either that or their world is different after all.

“Uh. Small bags, usually leather and cloth, with spell components in them,” Sam explains. “Witches use them to carry spells. Usually bad ones, curses and the like. At least where I’m from they do.”

[totalitarstupetballs]

She listens carefully, then nods to show she's understood. "Okay," she promises. "I'll keep an eye out. What should I do with them if I find any?"

[gavemea_45]

"Burn it. Them. Salt might work too, to inhibit the spell, but burning's always a sure thing."

Sam takes another swallow of coffee, then reaches for Dad's journal. "Here. Are you keeping anything like this, for the stuff you run into?"

[totalitarstupetballs]

She looks at it, not reaching for it unless he gives his express permission, but shakes her head. "Not all in one thing," she says. "I had a whole stash and a board in my old apartment, but we moved everything to the homestead when Wynonna and I took the house back. And there are plenty of files at Black Badge."

[gavemea_45]

He nods and hands it to her. "Where I come from, most hunters keep some kind of record. Notes, or something. We learn from each other that way. Along with reference books, old stuff." Kind of like the pile at his elbow.

"This was my Dad's. I keep it for us now."

[totalitarstupetballs]

Waverly flips open the journal, perusing the pages with interest. "Wow," she murmurs. "The detail in this..."

She shakes her head and looks up at him. "This is amazing."

[gavemea_45]

Sam grins a little and ducks his head at that. "Thanks. I guess you might not need this kind of thing, with that Black Badge agency of yours and all, but I figure it never hurts."

[totalitarstupetballs]

"I like it," she reiterates, smiling at his bashfulness, and flips a page, only to blink in amazement. "Is this – wow."

A few pages of neatly transcribed Latin; she runs her finger down the lines, reading some before looking back at him. "Did you put together your own variation on an exorcism?"

[gavemea_45]

"Uh-huh. I thought it'd be a good idea to see if there was a shorter version that would get the job done faster," he explains. "Go back to about thirty pages in and you'll see Dad had some things in there, experimenting with water purification language to come up with alternate blessing and cleansing incantations to make holy water."

[totalitarstupetballs]

Waverly nods, skimming the neat writing. It's cleverly done. "How fast have you got it down to?"