FIC: A Familiar Face
Apr. 9th, 2007 04:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
azraelz_angelTITLE: A Familiar Face
AUTHOR: Demona
SUMMARY: There are many different kinds of monsters in this world, some with a familiar face.
RATING: FR15
NOTES: Set several months before "Blood Lust" for Supernatural and after "Chosen" for Buffy.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and/or Angel the Series, they belong to Fox, the WB/UPN, Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of Supernatural belong to Eric Kripke, the CW, etc. The ideas and concepts in this story are mine entirely. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.
Challenge #5
Travel, Road Trips, Flying
*****
Dawn hitched her book bag a little higher on her shoulder as the crowd grew thicker. She was looking for United’s Gate 10, her departure flight back to Cleveland from Los Angeles, with a small layover in Denver. She was returning from spending a week with her father. Normally Dawn would kick a fit, Buffy would trash talk their father, and she would end up not going to visit. But this time she was tired of Buffy hovering when she wasn’t dating anyone or ignoring her when she was. The change of pace and scenery had been a very welcome distraction from Buffy, classes at Oxford, and the Council. Dawn found her gate and slid into one of the cold plastic waiting chairs, making sure she could see when the gate was boarding. Giles had emailed her with a few items he needed translated and this had been the first opportunity she’d had to work on it. She took a quick look around, making sure she was safe in her surroundings and then started pulling out her materials.
It was several minutes later, while Dawn was deep in the midst of her translation, when the unattended children playing in the waiting area cut the corner of Dawn’s seating area too closely and disaster struck. The children crashed into Dawn, knocking her books and notes off her lap and sending them into a disorganized pile in the floor at her feet.
“Great,” Dawn ground out in annoyance as she slid out of her uncomfortable seat. She looked up, expecting the children to be there helping to pick things up, but they were still running with not so much as an apology. Instead a dark-haired female squatted down in front of Dawn, helping her pick up the books and notes.
“Here,” a soft, southern voice broke the silence as the brunette handed Dawn a stack.
“Tha-“ Dawn started to reply as she accepted her stuff. The words died in her throat as she looked up into the face of a person that had died over four years ago. “T-Tara?” Dawn finally managed to make her voice work, and the choked word came out in a whisper. The color drained from her face as the possibilities started running through her mind. She’d seen Tara’s dead body. She’d stayed in the room with her until she’d been forced away when Buffy had returned. It wasn’t possible that she was alive again unless something dark had been involved.
The woman crouched before her slowly shook her head and offered Dawn a sad smile. “Fraid not. I’m Lenore,” the darker brunette offered.
Dawn slowly nodded, unable to take her eyes off the woman before her. After a few more moments she shook herself out of the past. Remembering her manners she introduced herself, “I’m Dawn. I’m sorry to stare, but it’s just that you look exactly like someone I once knew,” Dawn explained as she felt the blush creep further up her face.
“What happened to her?” Lenore asked as she began pulling together more papers.
“She was killed years ago.”
“So that would explain why you looked like you had seen a ghost,” Lenore surmised and let out a relieved sigh. “I was a little worried,” she added.
“Thanks for the help. Hopefully those hellions aren’t yours!”
“No, my children are no longer with me,” Lenore quietly answered, bending her head and breaking her gaze with Dawn. Her hair fell forward, blocking her face from Dawn, in a way that was reminded her so greatly of Tara that Dawn’s breath hitched. Her heart actually hurt as the wound of Tara’s death was unexpectedly reopened.
“I’m sorry,” Dawn apologized, not sure what to say.
“Don’t be,” Lenore quickly dismissed Dawn’s concern. She looked up and offered Dawn a smile. “It was a long time ago.” Lenore looked down at the books she had in her hands and a small frown appeared on her face. “Not many people, let alone people your age, lug around old musty books written in Latin. Especially books about the dark arts and the supernatural,” Lenore murmured as she studied the books in her hands.
“It’s for a class. I’m working on a paper,” the lie came naturally for Dawn. She’d told it so many times she almost believed it herself. The frown stayed on Lenore’s face at Dawn’s response. She finally handed the book back to Dawn, who hurriedly shoved it into her bag. Dawn continued to put the books and notes back into her bag. The research would have to wait until she got back to Headquarters in Cleveland. It wasn’t safe to have these books and notes laying about for the general public to see.
Lenore sat back on her heels, eerily silent as she looked like she was deep in thought. She appeared to come to a conclusion to her internal debate. “Dawn,” Lenore spoke her name carefully as she reached out to take Dawn’s hand. “I don’t mean to interfere but whatever you’re researching, whatever you are thinking about joining, it isn’t a good idea. There are plenty of things out there in this world that would eat you up without a second’s thought. And no matter how bad things are in your life right now – it’ll get better. A pretty girl like yourself shouldn’t be involving herself in something like this,” Lenore finally got out in a rush, locking eyes with Dawn, refusing to back down.
Dawn’s mouth dropped open in complete shock. “Um…what?” Dawn managed to ask.
“The summoning ritual you were translating. It’s not something that you want to even consider. I don’t know you and I don’t know what you are going through right now in your life, but this is not the answer to your problems,” Lenore told her, her voice wavering slightly.
“The summoning ritual…” Dawn trailed off as her eyes broke from Lenore’s gaze to flicker down to the bag with her books and notes. “It’s a paper-” Dawn started.
“I can smell your lies,” Lenore cut her off.
“Smell?” Dawn asked as she grabbed her bag firmly. She was about to rise to her feet, but Lenore placed her hands firmly on Dawn’s knees, forcing her to remain in her seat. “Just what the hell are you?”
“Most people ask who,” Lenore commented with a small quirk of a smile.
“Well I’m not most people. And despite whatever you are thinking I have absolutely no intention of summoning that demon. The opposite in fact because I’m working on a banishment spell,” Dawn admitted and looked down at Lenore on the floor.
“They are tricky.”
“I’m thorough,” Dawn quickly replied. “Now what are you?” Dawn repeated.
Lenore looked around, making sure that no one was paying immediate attention to them. Satisfied she offered Dawn a look that Dawn couldn’t decipher before opening her mouth. Sharp elongated teeth emerged from her gums, distorting the beautiful, almost peaceful face of Lenore – of Tara – into that of a monster. Dawn couldn’t hold back the shriek of fear as she threw herself further back into the chair and away from those teeth.
The teeth disappeared as quickly as they’d appeared. Several people in the area looked over in concern at Dawn’s sound of distress. Adrenaline rushed through her body, leaving her unsure whether to run or stick around and figure this out. Curiosity got the better of Dawn and she swallowed down the thick knot of fear in her throat.
“How? You’re in the sunlight,” Dawn whispered, watching Lenore carefully.
Lenore offered her a small smile as she rose to her feet. “There are many different kinds of monsters in this world, Dawn,” Lenore answered and slid into the unoccupied seat next to Dawn. “My line is different than the one you are accustomed to dealing with.”
“So, this is the part where you try to tell me that you’re a good vampire? And that you don’t kill people and drink their blood? And how you are trying for a whole new approach to this vampire thing by drinking animal blood to survive?” Dawn off-handedly tossed out.
A genuine smile appeared on Lenore’s face at the rant. She couldn’t contain the laugh that was building in her throat. Dawn glared at her. “Actually that is exactly what I was going to tell you.”
“Oh.”
*****
AUTHOR: Demona
SUMMARY: There are many different kinds of monsters in this world, some with a familiar face.
RATING: FR15
NOTES: Set several months before "Blood Lust" for Supernatural and after "Chosen" for Buffy.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and/or Angel the Series, they belong to Fox, the WB/UPN, Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of Supernatural belong to Eric Kripke, the CW, etc. The ideas and concepts in this story are mine entirely. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.
Challenge #5
Travel, Road Trips, Flying
*****
Dawn hitched her book bag a little higher on her shoulder as the crowd grew thicker. She was looking for United’s Gate 10, her departure flight back to Cleveland from Los Angeles, with a small layover in Denver. She was returning from spending a week with her father. Normally Dawn would kick a fit, Buffy would trash talk their father, and she would end up not going to visit. But this time she was tired of Buffy hovering when she wasn’t dating anyone or ignoring her when she was. The change of pace and scenery had been a very welcome distraction from Buffy, classes at Oxford, and the Council. Dawn found her gate and slid into one of the cold plastic waiting chairs, making sure she could see when the gate was boarding. Giles had emailed her with a few items he needed translated and this had been the first opportunity she’d had to work on it. She took a quick look around, making sure she was safe in her surroundings and then started pulling out her materials.
It was several minutes later, while Dawn was deep in the midst of her translation, when the unattended children playing in the waiting area cut the corner of Dawn’s seating area too closely and disaster struck. The children crashed into Dawn, knocking her books and notes off her lap and sending them into a disorganized pile in the floor at her feet.
“Great,” Dawn ground out in annoyance as she slid out of her uncomfortable seat. She looked up, expecting the children to be there helping to pick things up, but they were still running with not so much as an apology. Instead a dark-haired female squatted down in front of Dawn, helping her pick up the books and notes.
“Here,” a soft, southern voice broke the silence as the brunette handed Dawn a stack.
“Tha-“ Dawn started to reply as she accepted her stuff. The words died in her throat as she looked up into the face of a person that had died over four years ago. “T-Tara?” Dawn finally managed to make her voice work, and the choked word came out in a whisper. The color drained from her face as the possibilities started running through her mind. She’d seen Tara’s dead body. She’d stayed in the room with her until she’d been forced away when Buffy had returned. It wasn’t possible that she was alive again unless something dark had been involved.
The woman crouched before her slowly shook her head and offered Dawn a sad smile. “Fraid not. I’m Lenore,” the darker brunette offered.
Dawn slowly nodded, unable to take her eyes off the woman before her. After a few more moments she shook herself out of the past. Remembering her manners she introduced herself, “I’m Dawn. I’m sorry to stare, but it’s just that you look exactly like someone I once knew,” Dawn explained as she felt the blush creep further up her face.
“What happened to her?” Lenore asked as she began pulling together more papers.
“She was killed years ago.”
“So that would explain why you looked like you had seen a ghost,” Lenore surmised and let out a relieved sigh. “I was a little worried,” she added.
“Thanks for the help. Hopefully those hellions aren’t yours!”
“No, my children are no longer with me,” Lenore quietly answered, bending her head and breaking her gaze with Dawn. Her hair fell forward, blocking her face from Dawn, in a way that was reminded her so greatly of Tara that Dawn’s breath hitched. Her heart actually hurt as the wound of Tara’s death was unexpectedly reopened.
“I’m sorry,” Dawn apologized, not sure what to say.
“Don’t be,” Lenore quickly dismissed Dawn’s concern. She looked up and offered Dawn a smile. “It was a long time ago.” Lenore looked down at the books she had in her hands and a small frown appeared on her face. “Not many people, let alone people your age, lug around old musty books written in Latin. Especially books about the dark arts and the supernatural,” Lenore murmured as she studied the books in her hands.
“It’s for a class. I’m working on a paper,” the lie came naturally for Dawn. She’d told it so many times she almost believed it herself. The frown stayed on Lenore’s face at Dawn’s response. She finally handed the book back to Dawn, who hurriedly shoved it into her bag. Dawn continued to put the books and notes back into her bag. The research would have to wait until she got back to Headquarters in Cleveland. It wasn’t safe to have these books and notes laying about for the general public to see.
Lenore sat back on her heels, eerily silent as she looked like she was deep in thought. She appeared to come to a conclusion to her internal debate. “Dawn,” Lenore spoke her name carefully as she reached out to take Dawn’s hand. “I don’t mean to interfere but whatever you’re researching, whatever you are thinking about joining, it isn’t a good idea. There are plenty of things out there in this world that would eat you up without a second’s thought. And no matter how bad things are in your life right now – it’ll get better. A pretty girl like yourself shouldn’t be involving herself in something like this,” Lenore finally got out in a rush, locking eyes with Dawn, refusing to back down.
Dawn’s mouth dropped open in complete shock. “Um…what?” Dawn managed to ask.
“The summoning ritual you were translating. It’s not something that you want to even consider. I don’t know you and I don’t know what you are going through right now in your life, but this is not the answer to your problems,” Lenore told her, her voice wavering slightly.
“The summoning ritual…” Dawn trailed off as her eyes broke from Lenore’s gaze to flicker down to the bag with her books and notes. “It’s a paper-” Dawn started.
“I can smell your lies,” Lenore cut her off.
“Smell?” Dawn asked as she grabbed her bag firmly. She was about to rise to her feet, but Lenore placed her hands firmly on Dawn’s knees, forcing her to remain in her seat. “Just what the hell are you?”
“Most people ask who,” Lenore commented with a small quirk of a smile.
“Well I’m not most people. And despite whatever you are thinking I have absolutely no intention of summoning that demon. The opposite in fact because I’m working on a banishment spell,” Dawn admitted and looked down at Lenore on the floor.
“They are tricky.”
“I’m thorough,” Dawn quickly replied. “Now what are you?” Dawn repeated.
Lenore looked around, making sure that no one was paying immediate attention to them. Satisfied she offered Dawn a look that Dawn couldn’t decipher before opening her mouth. Sharp elongated teeth emerged from her gums, distorting the beautiful, almost peaceful face of Lenore – of Tara – into that of a monster. Dawn couldn’t hold back the shriek of fear as she threw herself further back into the chair and away from those teeth.
The teeth disappeared as quickly as they’d appeared. Several people in the area looked over in concern at Dawn’s sound of distress. Adrenaline rushed through her body, leaving her unsure whether to run or stick around and figure this out. Curiosity got the better of Dawn and she swallowed down the thick knot of fear in her throat.
“How? You’re in the sunlight,” Dawn whispered, watching Lenore carefully.
Lenore offered her a small smile as she rose to her feet. “There are many different kinds of monsters in this world, Dawn,” Lenore answered and slid into the unoccupied seat next to Dawn. “My line is different than the one you are accustomed to dealing with.”
“So, this is the part where you try to tell me that you’re a good vampire? And that you don’t kill people and drink their blood? And how you are trying for a whole new approach to this vampire thing by drinking animal blood to survive?” Dawn off-handedly tossed out.
A genuine smile appeared on Lenore’s face at the rant. She couldn’t contain the laugh that was building in her throat. Dawn glared at her. “Actually that is exactly what I was going to tell you.”
“Oh.”
*****
