Buffy The Vampire Slayer Fan Fiction / Supernatural Fan Fiction ❯ Dawning Power ❯ Chapter 1

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Looks like this is one of my few non slash fics. Wow. Main pairing SamDawn. Au. Mentions of main character death
 
Chapter 1
 
Sam went bright red as the young girl stared at him in shock. How could he have been so clumsy?
 
“I am so sorry. Please let me help you with that. Um, would you like a new drink? I can pay for it.” He rushed out, handing her a bundle of napkins and she grinned, giggling softly.
 
“Its okay, no real harm down. But thanks for the napkins.” She answered as she cleaned off as much of the liquid as she could and then pushed her hair behind her ears.
 
“I'm still really sorry about this.” Sam said again and then saw the books she was holding.
“Stanford?” He asked with a grin and she nodded.
 
“Me too. Haven't seen you around here before. Oh, I'm Sam.” He extended his hand and she took it.
 
“Dawn. It's my first year here but I'm guessing you've been here for longer?”
 
“Third year. You're sure I can't do anything to make up for this?” He asked and she smiled at him.
 
“Well....you could show me where the Cantor Arts Center is please? I'm kind of lost.” She admitted and Sam smiled.
 
“Sure, I've got time till my next class so I'll walk you.” He offered and Dawn nodded, walking beside him. Sam took the time to study the teen? He figured since she was a first year she'd be eighteen, maybe nineteen. She was tall and willowy with long brown hair tied back in a ponytail and blue eyes.
“So are you from around here?” He asked and she looked at him for a moment before answering. He wanted to hit himself, he did not want to come off as the creepy older guy type, he was just curious and honestly he liked what he'd seen of her so far.
 
“Small town a couple of hours south of LA actually, you?”
 
“Kansas originally but we travelled a lot.”
 
“Sounds fun. Family?”
 
“Um. Just my Dad and older brother. You?”
 
“No-show Dad who I think might still be in Spain.” She shrugged and he winced, okay so that wasn't a good topic for either of them. It was nice that he didn't have to walk much slower than usual and she was keeping up easily.
“I haven't seen him in something like ten years so it doesn't bother me anymore.”
 
“Still sorry for asking.”
 
“Hey I asked first.” She pointed out with a grin and Sam smiled back.
 
“True, well here we are. It was nice meeting you Dawn.” He fidgeted slightly, not really knowing what to do.
 
“You too Sam. Here.” She passed him a piece of paper and he looked at it to see her name and a phone number.
“If you want to talk or anything.” With that she was gone. Sam stared at the paper and then slipped it into his pocket with a small smile.
 
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“At least this time I didn't have a drink in my hand.” An amused voice said and Sam looked down to see Dawn sprawled at his feet.
 
“Dawn I am so sorry.” He offered her a hand and she took it, letting him help her up.
 
“No problem. Guess it's hard to see us normal sized people from so high up.” She teased and Sam blushed slightly.
 
“You're not that short Dawn.”
 
“Five foot seven and you're what? A foot taller?”
 
“No.” She stared at him and he sighed.
“Fine, Six four.” He admitted and she grinned.
 
“See, nearly a foot taller.” She teased him and Sam grinned back at her, Dawn's humour was a nice change from the others he usually hung out with.
 
“So, lost again?”
 
“Nope. Just finished my Latin class and am headed back to my room. You?”
 
“Same, except I was in calculus and not Latin.”
 
“Ewe, maths. Don't get me wrong, I'm not bad at it, it's just boring most of the time.”
 
“Agreed.” Sam told her and then took a deep breath.
“Have you eaten yet?” Dawn's eyes widened in surprise but she shook her head.
 
“Not yet.”
 
“Would you like to join me for dinner then? Just to talk, get to know each other? Since we keep bumping into each other.” Sam stumbled over his words and then waited for her answer.
 
“Sounds nice.” She told him and Sam relaxed.
“I should dump my stuff first.”
 
“Okay, um....” Sam trailed off, not sure what he was meant to do.
 
“Walk me to my place?” She asked and he smiled.
 
“Sure. Where are you staying?”
 
“Wilbur Hall. Where do you want to eat?” She asked as they headed for her residence hall.
 
“I was thinking the Axe and Palm?”
 
Sounds good to me.” She answered with a smile.
 
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Dawn hummed softly as she sat at her desk, working on an assignment. She'd been nervous about coming to Stanford at first, leaving Sunnydale and the Scoobies behind. But it had been what she needed and she realised that now. She couldn't heal and move on when she was constantly surrounded by reminders of her Mom and Buffy. Willow hadn't wanted to let her go but Tara had stood up to Willow on her behalf. Xander had just hugged her and said to call if she needed anything. Giles had given her enough money to live off for the first two years and the numbers of a few ex-Council members in the area in case anything happened and she needed immediate help.
 
Four months later and she was finally sleeping the whole night through without nightmares of the tower or of seeing her mother dead on the couch. She didn't even patrol, not that she was meant to alone but she couldn't not help keep people safe. However, unlike the campus in Sunnydale there was very little supernatural activity at Stanford.
 
One of the high points of her time at Stanford? Sam Winchester. Sure he was nearly three years older than her but that was nothing compared to the gap between Xander and Anya or Buffy and Angel. He was a great guy, a little shy and awkward at times but a good person. Not to mention a great sparring partner. The look on his face when she'd pinned him in their first match because he was holding back had been hilarious. And he liked her for Dawn Summers, not the Key or the Slayers Sister or even trainee Wiccan but just for who she was without all that. It made a nice change. Sure she knew he had secrets but who didn't? He liked talking about his family about the same as she did. She knew he'd had a fight before coming to school and he knew he mom and sister were dead and that was about it.
 
They'd also started dating three weeks ago and it was great! It was nice having a human boyfriend and yes she had checked. Sam definitely had a pulse, could touch silver, all those wonderful things that meant human. So there would be no having to stake him like her first kiss. What a date that had been, her first kiss and staking all in one night and with the same person, well vampire. She knew eventually she'd have to tell Sam everything but for no she could forget about that life and just enjoy their time together. Sam was so sweet and loving, even if he didn't really seem to know what he was doing when it came to dates but that didn't bother her because they always had fun.
 
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Sam smiled as he looked down at where Dawn was resting against his chest. His life had changed so much since coming to Stanford but this biggest change had been meeting Dawn. And now they were talking about getting a place together for the summer and living as a couple during the college year, he couldn't help grinning at that thought. Dawn was the best thing to happen to him in a long time. She was warm, caring and had a great sense of humour. She could also kick his ass if he didn't pay attention when sparring and hadn't that been a shock.
 
Dawn didn't talk much about her life before Stanford but then neither did he. He knew the basics, how her sister and mother were dead and her dad was absent but that was pretty much it. She had suggested he at least call his Dad and Dean because she'd had a fight with her sister shortly before she'd died and had carried the guilt over it for years now. He knew she was right, for all he knew something had happened to either or both of them. But thinking about them hurt, how his Dad had told him not to come back. Sure Dean had given him a lift to the bus stop and had called to make sure he'd made it to Stanford but that had pretty much been it other than an anonymous card every birthday since he'd left. Could he risk reaching out only to be ignored or told not to call again?
 
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Sam gripped the phone tightly, his insides felt like they were tied in knots as he listened to the other end ring until voicemail kicked in. He took a deep breath and then spoke.
 
“Hey Dad it's me, Sam. I know you said...I just wanted to make sure you're okay and...I'm okay. School's good. Even have a girlfriend. You'd like Dawn, she kicks my butt in a fight about half the time and no I'm not getting rusty she's just that good. I don't even know if you're going to listen to this after everything. I guess...I miss you Dad and I'm sorry for the fight but I'm not sorry for leaving. I had to do this. I just wish you could accept that. You've got my number if you want to call. Bye Dad, stay safe.” Sam hung up and closed his eyes. That had been hard and he didn't even know if his Dad would bother listening once he realised it was him calling. And his next call was going to be harder; he just hoped it would go to voicemail too.
 
“Hello?” Sam froze as Dean picked up and opened his mouth but nothing came out.
“Hello? Someone there or not? This better not be some prank call or I swear.”
 
“Dean.” Sam cut in and the other side went dead.
“Are you still there?” He asked nervously and smiled as he heard Dean huff in annoyance.
 
 
“I'm here Sam. What's wrong?” Dean asked tightly and Sam smiled, typical Dean.
 
“Nothing, I just....I needed to hear your voice, know you're okay. Even left Dad a message, don't know if he'll listen.” Sam rushed out and he heard Dean chuckle slightly.
 
“You are such a girl.” Dean teased and Sam relaxed, he'd been afraid Dean would hang up on him or worse.
 
“Am not, it's just I hadn't heard from you and was worried maybe something had happened and if you were using fake insurance then no one would call me or anything.”
 
“Sammy calm down. We're fine bitch. You sure you're okay?”
 
“Yeah, I'm good. I'm even...well I'm moving in with someone this summer.” Sam told him and he heard Dean whistle.
 
“A girl someone?”
 
“Yeah, her name's Dawn and she's great Dean. Maybe...if you're on a hunt out this way or something....you could come see us? I know she'd like to meet you, Dad too if you could convince him to come.” Sam was hesitant to ask, afraid Dean would turn him down. Talking on the phone was one thing but coming out to see him?
 
“She's that special huh?” Dean asked and Sam grinned.
 
“Yeah. I miss you Dean. I...I could come see you during the holidays if you're going to be in one place for a few days?” Sam offered nervously.
 
“Nah, looks like there could be a hunt couple hours north of you. No point you trying to track me down.” Sam's heart soared with hope.
 
“So you'll come?” He whispered.
 
“Yeah Sammy, I'll come. I'll call once the job's done, okay?”
 
“That's fine...great actually. I'll see you soon then.”
 
“Yeah, I'll work on Dad but....”
 
“I know. Bye Dean.”
 
“Bye.” Sam put his phone down and grinned. The door opened and he looked up to see Dawn walk in. He stood up and picked her up; swing her around until they were both laughing and too dizzy to stand. They collapsed back onto the couch and tried to remember how to breath.
 
“What was that all about?” Dawn asked and Sam kissed her.
 
“Dean's coming. He's got some work nearby and is going to come see me and meat you.” Sam explained and Dawn grinned before kissing him.
 
“That's great Sam. I suppose we should finish getting this place set up then?” She arched an eyebrow and looked around at the still partially packed boxes. Sam smiled sheepishly but nodded and they got to work.
 
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Dean parked the Impala and stared up at the apartment building in front of him. It had been over three years since he'd really seen Sammy and now here he was, not to check from a distance but to see Sam and meet his girl. Was he ready to forgive Sam for running away? Sam had sounded so...young and alone on the phone that Dean hadn't been able to say no. No matter how mad he still was at Sam for abandoning them, leaving him. The building was nice, well looked after even if it wasn't exactly modern. And sitting in the car all day wasn't going to help any. Signing he got out and headed for the front door, already knowing which apartment he needed. Taking a deep breath he knocked on the door.
 
Dean found himself grinning at the young woman who answered the door. She wasn't much shorter than him and held herself in a way that said she was very capable of taking care of herself.
 
“You must be Dawn, nice to meet you.” He greeted and she smiled.
 
“Nice to meet you too Dean.” She stepped back and let him into the apartment.
“Sam had to run and turn a paper in but he'll be back in a few minutes. Can I get you anything?” She asked as she showed him to the living room.
 
“Any beer?” He asked and she nodded, leaving the room and returning with an unopened can.
“Thanks.” He took a drink, watching as she sat on the couch. How on earth did his brother get such a hot looking girl?
“You are way out of his league.” Dean murmured and she shot him a glare. Oops.
“Sorry. Sometimes I say stuff....” He shrugged and she nodded with a small smile.
 
“So Sam's not the only one that can be socially awkward?” She asked and Dean chuckled.
 
“Guess not. How'd you two meet?”
 
“He spilt my soda all over me.” She answered with a grin and Dean laughed.
 
“Real smooth Sammy.” He commented and she nodded.
 
“He knocked me over the second time. Then we had dinner.” Dean shook his head, unable to believe his brother had done that and Dawn was still willing to talk to him.
“He's missed you.” She added quietly.
“He doesn't talk about family much but he has a picture of your parents and one of the two of you together beside the bed. He was so happy when you agreed to come. Don't you dare disappear after this.” She told him, a rather intimidating glare on her face and Dean nodded.
 
“Can't promise visits but I'll call.” They fell silent as a key was heard in the door, both turning to watch it open. Dean practically held his breath as the door swung open and he got his first really good look at his brother in years. Sam looked like he'd been running, a look of hope on his face and Dean realised he'd seen the Impala outside. Hazel eyes scanned over Dawn and then locked onto him. Dean mustered a hesitant smile and then Sam was striding across the room towards him. When had the kid gotten so big? Sure he'd been tall when he'd left but it had been a scrawny tall and now...he'd grown into his height. Dean gasped as Sam grabbed him in a fierce hug but then returned it.
 
“You're here.” Sam murmured and Dean swallowed, closing his eyes as he realised how much Sam had been hurting as well.
 
“I'm here Sammy.” He told his brother, smiling as he saw Dawn slip out of the room to give them privacy. He was really liking that girl.
 
TBC...