Chapter Text
2010 - set in Season 6 Supernatural. Follows immediately after episode 6.7 "Family Matters"
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As she pulled into the parking lot she wished she remember the line from that old movie. The line that goes something like "of all the places in the world", but Buffy doesn't do old movie lines. Buffy doesn't have time for trivia. She parked her car close to the exit, and discreetly tucked a silver knife into her Louis Vuitton bag, praying there wasn't a need for it. Getting bloody at a McDonald's playland was never a good idea.
She spotted Dean as soon as she walked in. Of course he looked older, but he looked like a hunter, the way his eyes seemed to be everywhere at once.
He stood when she arrived at the table. "Thanks for meeting me. I wasn't sure you would."
She smiled, a smile Dean remembered fondly, and replied, "You piqued my curiosity on the phone." She looked around, "Why the playland?"
"Salt," was Dean's short reply, then he turned to the tunnels the children were climbing through. "Jimmy, don't shove," he said loudly and with just the right amount of fatherly authority.
Buffy's eyes widened and she looked to the play-set. "Oh, you have a son here?"
"No. Just blending in."
Buffy shook her head at his high drama, but let it go. "So, you found out about me. What is this, do you have questions or need something?"
Dean took a sip from his coffee and a page from his coat pocket. He slid the page to her. "That's from my dad's journal. He was a hunter, like I told you on the phone." He pointed to a portion of it. "This says you know a vampire who got his soul back. How'd he do it?"
As Buffy looked at the photo copied page, a chill ran down her spine. How had someone collected so much information about her? She looked up at the man across from her and noticed the tired eyes and the worry lines on his forehead. "I know what happened. To you and Sam. It's not exactly a secret in our community." She paused to see if he'd ask how or try to explain, when he didn't, she continued. "Who lost their soul?"
Dean wasn't surprised that she knew their story. He assumed everyone in their line of work had a way of finding information on each other. "What do you know about what happened?" he asked without it sounding like an accusation.
Buffy looked around and kept her voice low. "Letting Luci out if his cage, kinda a big blip on the radar." Dean paled. "Stuffing him back in at Stull," Dean's eyes widened in shock, "equally big." She gave Dean a moment to absorb her revelation. "I've stopped my share of apocalypses. I know it kills part of you every time. Who lost their soul?"
"Sam."
Buffy nodded and shifted her gaze to the Formica table. Buffy knew she'd be destroyed if Dawn had lost her soul. She looked at the paper again before sliding it back to him. "One was cursed with the return of his soul. It was punishment for what he had done as a vamp. The other earned it's return."
Dean didn't hide his excitement. "How?"
"I'm not sure. It dealt with going to hell or maybe purgatory and fighting for it." She noted that Dean didn't look surprised. "I'll have him contact you. You have to promise not to kill him. He is what he is because he helped me save the world."
Dean nodded. "If he helps, hell, even if he doesn't, I'm not going to hurt him."
"Good." She turned in the silly yellow and red chair to leave when Dean grabbed her arm.
"Buffy, you need to watch yourself." He released her arm as she turned back to face him. "There's a demon named Crowley..."
She shrugged, "I've heard of him." Dean's serious attitude kept her in her seat.
"He's hunting alphas. He's using hunters to do it. My grandfather included."
"Okay," she replied slowly a bit confused at his confession. "What does this have to do with me?"
"You're the original Slayer. You're an alpha. Crowley's looking for purgatory, and beating it out of every alpha he gets his hands on." Dean stood up. "Watch yourself. I'm sure he'd love to get his hands on you. He may even try to use me to do it." There was a bittersweet smile on his face. "I won't risk contacting you again."