DDBA chapter 3: encounter on the streets

 // It's happening roughly by the time the task force was built, Muse was killed, and White Tiger was assassinated. Office Powell is once again being an asshole.// 

Hell's Kitchen, Murdock and McDuffie's office, 1 AM. 

"Hayley?"

Daredevil's voice felt like a whip in the air as he recognized her scent. Her peculiar jasmine scent filled his nostrils, disorienting him slightly. He was standing tall, his blind baton pointed at the woman before him. Matt didn't expect to meet with Hayley, especially not when his office had been raided by the Kingpin's task force. Just like when his private apartment was blown up weeks ago, the task force was dead set on destroying everything Matt Murdock held dear in his life. They went after his life but failed to kill him. They still destroyed his flat and forced him to relocate to his old Hell's Kitchen one. His relationship with Heather was severely impacted, and Matt knew it was only a matter of time before they officially broke up. All that was left was his office, shared with Kirsten McDuffie. So far, she had been left unharmed and was smart enough to play along well under Fisk's regime. That night, however, they targeted Kirsten, and Daredevil came to her rescue.  While he protected the lawyer, a woman appeared and began fighting the would-be assassins.  Once Daredevil was sure Kirsten was safely hiding, he joined the fight again, and, unable to know if she was an ally or a foe, they traded blows.

She surprisingly held her own. He recognized that fighting style; it had the signature of H.A.N.D.! She wasn't fighting him seriously as she recognized it was Daredevil, but he still had a decent fight with her. He wanted to assess her level of threat and her true intentions. During their fight, her jasmine scent hit his nostrils, and no matter how hard he fought it,  the scent was too overwhelming for him to ignore. That was why he had to tentatively say her name and see how she would react to it. Her reaction confirmed that he was right. She was stiff; he could tell by the way her breathing changed. Surely, it was Hayley, but he was shocked by her connection to the H.A.N.D. and even more to find her at his office. Did she come to kill him? Did she come to kill him? He had to make sure.  Yet, to her defense,  as soon as she swung by the window and into the office, he noticed that she didn't hesitate to jump right into the fight and took on the assailants, which, in his book, was a strong argument in favor of her being an ally. Once they were through with exchanging a couple of blows, they refocused on their assailants. It was only when the last soldiers were passed out that he said her name. At the sound of it, Hayley blinked and dropped her arms on each side of her frame. She was shocked and confused.

"Widowmaker... It's Widowmaker." -She furrowed her brows and tilted her head to the side. Hayley was racking her brain to remember where she met Daredevil as Hayley, so he could know her name. He had to have crossed paths with her before, to be able to recognize her in her costume, despite her face being covered from her neck to her nose- "Do I know you?" -She ended up asking, her head tilted to the side-

"Did I guess right?" -She swallowed a lump and refused to reply. She took a couple of steps towards the windows, in an attempt to walk away from him, but Daredevil quickly moved forward too and used his arm to block her path- "Hayley!" "She tried to punch him, but he parried it and grabbed her other wrist- "Why are you here?"

"Why are /you/ here?" -She spat at him and instantly regretted it. It was stupid! She knew he was trying to help. She knew he was trying to do something good, but she couldn't help her rhetorical question. It made her curse under her breath and shake her head.-

Matt blinked behind his mask. he was confused by her question because he assumed that people knew what Daredevil was about.  He almost wanted to laugh, but instead tilted his head. She didn't want to say that she had been worried about Matt Murdock ever since his apartment was blown up weeks ago. The news horrified her, so she kick-started an investigation into the matter. Who would want to kill Matt Murdock and why? Her investigation led her to cross paths with the former cop-turned-detective and friend of Matt, Cherry.  He didn't reveal much but hinted at Matt being strongly against Mayor Fisk's anti-vigilante stance. With that information, Hayley put two and two together and realized that Former Kingpin was actually her person of interest in the case. 

The woman quickly went on a prowl. She was searching for Matt Murdock every single night to no avail. He wasn't in Hell's Kitchen, plain and simple. She then took it upon herself to go to Red Hook in an attempt to find him there, but what she found went beyond any expectation. Crooks and criminals were gathered there and were free to do as they pleased. She also found Fisk's task force headquarters and the foot soldiers who inhabited the place. She also watched prisoners being taken there or murdered outside without any qualms. It gave her all the information needed to consider Fisk to be an enemy. Yet her presence that night was pure coincidence. While following Officer Powell, Hayley noticed the commotion and decided to intervene. Now, in front of Daredevil, the brunette furrowed her brows and narrowed her eyes. Her body relaxed slowly. Her grey eyes studied the man before her, the shape of his jaw, the noise... His teeth. It all felt familiar to her, but she still couldn't place him. Daredevil noticed the change in her breathing, and he relaxed his pose as well. 

"Work." -He couldn't possibly tell her the reasons he was here. She narrowed her gaze and wrinkled her nose.- "I mean it. "

"I'm here /because/ of work too." -She conceded, teeth clenched- "Is Miss McDuffie safe?" -He nodded and she closed her eyes, relieved to hear that no one died tonight- Sirens could be heard as police were getting closer to the crime scene. "She can't stay here. We can't trust the police right now. Take her to the shelter of batte--"

"No. I have to meet with the police. If I don't and they see what you two have done here, I'll be in more trouble. I greatly appreciate coming to my defense, Daredevil and..." Kirsten looked at Widowmaker with an inquisitive stare. She had never seen the woman before and was wondering why she came ot her rescue. Daredevil, she trusted more. He protected her while she was hiding in another office in the building, and once the fight was over, Kirsten decided to show up to thank him in person. She didn't expect to see another vigilante in the room, but kept her focus.

"Widowmaker." -Hayley said in a whisper- 

"Widowmaker! I'll just say Daredevil if it doesn't upset you. The city doesn't know you, and given the anti-vigilante laws in place, I can't just bring you up."

"Fair enough. I took the liberty to call the press as soon as I heard the commotion, so whatever happens, there would be witnesses," -She said in a shrug. "We have to go before the police come up here, Daredevil." 

Widowmaker advised Daredevil and ran to the window. She used a grappler to attach to one of the many stairs on the building facing them. She swung out, followed by Daredevil, and reached the outside stairs. Quickly enough, the pair climbed the stairs to the rooftop and both knelt close to the edge, to keep an eye on Kirsten as she met with the Police at the front door of the building. The lawyer was covered with enough plaster powder and debris for the reporters to take good pictures of her and bear witness.  Once Kirsten entered the police car, Hayley sat on the roof and pulled the scarf that hid the lower part of her face down so she could breathe better.  Matt observed her, of course, he was unable to see her face and features, but that strong jasmine scent was even stronger now that he was closer to her. 

"What did you mean you were here because of work? What does this office have to do with your work?" -She swallowed a lump and moistened her lips- "Were you following someone from Fisk's task force?"

"Is it that obvious?" -She groaned, crossing her arms above her chest- "Yes! I have been following one of Fisk's task force officers, Officer Powell. I was looking for that bastard and had him in target when I heard the commotion from here. I knew there were people here and I didn't want anything to happen to Matt Murdock." -She paused for a brief moment- "And his partner and any other people here, of course!" -She quickly added. Matt picked up the slight change in her heartbeat, the way she quickly became uncomfortable, and the speed with which she added the others. She did it for /him/! She wanted to protect him. He couldn't help but smile at that and tilted his head to the other side as he replied.-

"You wanted to help. which is commendable." -He added, in hopes it would allievate the heart of that young woman- "But why were you looking for Officer Powell? Did he beat up one of your clients?" -It slipped off his tongue. He realized a bit too late that he knew her far more than he pretended to. He could hear her heartbeats pick up in speed, and could hear the sound of heavy breathing as realization set in.

"Matt?" -Her voice was dry.-

There was only one person who knew about her nighttime activities. She told the attorney in a little tongue-in-cheek quip that she was beating up abusive spouses to make them stop harassing her clients. It was the truth, but she wanted to disguise it as a joke so the attorney wouldn't use it against her in their case. She only made that joke with him, so the shock of discovering his true identity made her blink.

"......" -He took a deep breath and shook his head. She figured him out! He would have cursed, given a little more time, but the first urge he felt was to answer her. "Yes." -There was no point in lying to her; she would not accept anything less than the truth.-

"Are you freaking kidding me?!!! No /wonder/ I couldn't find Matt Murdock! No wonder /you/ disappeared!" She exclaimed! "Had I known you were Daredevil, I wouldn't have searched for you and worried myself to death..." She pinched her lips together and put both hands on the floor. 

"Were you worried about me?" -Daredevil cut her short. Of everything she said, that was the part that surprised him more than he could say. Why would she be worried about a man she met only twice?- "I mean, Hayley.. I don't understand why you'd--" -She rolled her eyes and cut him short-

"Tssk.. Do we always need to have a reason for everything? I care about you enough to look for you. I was horrified when I heard your apartment got blown up. I searched for you. I even talked to your girlfriend --"

"You talked to Heather?" -Hayley nodded- "And.. And it's an ex. Ex-girlfriend."

"Does she know?" -He swallowed a lump and shrugged.-

Did it matter? She went to work with Fisk, and he could understand her arguments for it. A vigilante assaulted her and nearly killed her. This single encounter definitely changed the way she saw vigilantes, including Daredevil. Someone like Fisk, who posed as a victim of vigilanteism, would have a very enticing speech. He couldn't blame Heather for picking Fisk's side, but he couldn't keep on dating her because the Fisks were sworn enemies of his. They ruined his life so many times and even went as far as to kill his best friend. He couldn't support Heather and couldn't tell her what his grudge against the mayor was without outing himself. Did she know he was Daredevil? After all that happened, she probably figured out it was him. If she did, she hid it very well, and her joining Fisk was a statement. If she didn't, she would end up putting two plus two, and she wouldn't want to keep dating a man who hid his secret identity from her.  Either way, they weren't meant to last. Matt tilted his head to the side and snarled at her question. 

"It's complicated.... Hayley.. Are we-- Are we se-Seriously doing this?"

"Doing what? You're the one who asked me if I talked to Heather, and I told you that I did. She had no idea of your whereabouts, so I kept looking for you. I didn't want one of the rare good men of Hell's Kitchen to go up in flames." She pinched the bridge of her nose and watched as Daredevil stood up. "I wanted you to live. I still do."

"Well, I'm not dead yet, Hayley." -Matt quipped, before he stroked the tip of his nose and gave her a sheepish smile- "Thank you. It's very kind of you. I didn't expect--" -he cut himself short- "Hayley. Vigilantes are still outlawed. I would like to see you again, but I know that  there wouldn't be many opportunities for us to meet until there is no more curfew."

"I can...You can come to my place at night. I mean.... if the window is open, that means I'm home. If it's not, that means I'm on the prowl. Maybe this could be... Maybe this could be a way for us to actually meet under these circumstances? What do you think?"

"Are you... inviting me over to your place?" -He couldn't help but chuckle.- "This sounds so awkward, but yes. We can do it. I just need to know where you live."

"Don't... Don't misinterpret what I-I  said. I'm not... jumping on the occasion to--- to try and get into your pants, okay? I mean.." -She was blushing, he could tell thanks to his super senses.  It was cute, and that made him smile a little more.-

"It's okay. I never thought it was your intention, Hayley. However, I have to warn you. Following Officer Powell puts you in great danger. There are far more people than just the ten officers he shows the public. A lot of them are in Red Hook, hiding, waiting for his next order."

"I know." -She said in a shrug-

"How?" -Daredevil blinked under his mask, confused by how calm Hayley was.-

"I've been there. I told you I was looking for you. I searched all of Hell's Kitchen but not Red Hook, so I went there to try and see if you weren't stranded there. What I saw was... There were so many foot soldiers there, and crooks and criminals working for Fisk. I wanted to go further, but I realized there were too many people around me. In a direct fight, with how many they were, I could have been seriously injured if not dead." 

She put her thumb to her mouth and bit it lightly. Hayley was so distracted that she didn't see Matt's expression. It suddenly made sense. Officer Powell was a real piece of shit, Matt already had run-ins with him. It made sense that she would be hunting him down because he was abusive to an ex-girlfriend. After all, that was Widowmaker's whole shtick for all he knew. She went after abusive spouses.  Yet, he couldn't help but think that there was more to it. She wasn't just a simple vigilante with a noble cause. Had she been noble, she would not have beaten up abusive people left and right. He paused for a second. Since when did he become so righteous? He was doing the same thing, give or take a few different situations, but it was all the same. It made him grunt, and he offered his hand to her so she could quickly get back on her feet. 

"I see. I'm not trying to stop you from doing what you want, but I would very much like you to stay alive, Hayley.  I'll look up your address and find you at night. We shouldn't stay here because they will eventually find us. "He then gently squeezed her hand.- "I appreciate it greatly that you came for me. I'll do my very best to return the favor." 

"I've yet to see the day I need a favor, but let's never say never." She pulled her mask back up her nose while he released her hand. "I'll try not to tail Officer Powell in the next couple of days. I was so caught up with him and with you that I wasn't doing my job properly. They need me there." She toook a couple of steps away from him before she turned around. "...And Matt, it feels good to know you're okay. Don't be a fool either, okay?" She rhetorically spoke before she vanished into the night.

Daredevil was left alone on that rooftop. He noticed the slight change in the pace of his heartbeat. He didn't quite know what to make of this encounter with Hayley, but he enjoyed seeing her. It was brief, but they worked well together. He couldn't get her scent off his head. He was touched by her desire to protect him and was charmed by her. He couldn't deny it even if he wanted to. He was charmed by Hayley and intrigued by her. There was still a shroud of mystery surrounding her, and he wanted to know more about her. He shook his head, and a smile graced his features before he ran and swung out of the building. He would keep his word and would meet her. He didn't know what exactly would happen when he entered her apartment, but he wanted to see her again.  He had to. 

-TBC-

The day of the Jackal - part 7

// For this chapter, there won't be a flashback to reflect her mental breakdown. They would resume in part 8.

xxxx

To find Dylan Atwater with no further information about his whereabouts proved to be a mix of luck and determination.  Diane and Alex decided to use the only lead they had, which was his presence at the Neighbourhood Sunday Market. They believed that if she met him there, he was probably shopping there, thus they concluded that he might be staying in the neighbourhood. With that said, there were still several buildings to screen in search of an alias or a clue. Alex started to comb through the buildings, but it was starting to look like a gargantuan task. Diane suggested trimming down the list by dipping into the voters' registry. This way, they could quickly isolate the places that were rented to non-citizens or by citizens who couldn't vote directly in the neighbourhood and had to drive to their designated voting area.  Alex also decided to go to the Sunday Market, disguised as an old man, in the slim chance of seeing / that man/ there. 

It took two weeks of intense research, verification on site by either or both of them, to finally isolate three addresses. Two were Airbnb's that were temporarily vacant because the renters were out of town. One was rented by a Russian couple who happened to also be out of town.  Diane was growing more and more frustrated and was starting to doubt that attending the Sunday Market was an effective tactic. This Sunday, she decided to go with Alex. She remained on the rooftops, equipped with goggles and their communication devices. As usual, Alexander was sitting on a bench, observing pigeons and people alike with a newspaper in his hand. She decided to tease him and turned on their comms. 

"I'm bored, Alex. Let's play a game."

"You're not very patient, Di, aren't you?" -He asked in a bemused tone. She shrugged her shoulders and sighed-

"It depends on what I'm supposed to be patient with. I could never do what you do. Stay still for hours or days, waiting for my target to fall into my visor like you do? It's not for me!"

"I'm a sniper. I was trained to do this. I was made to do this." -He chuckled- "You are brash, you like getting your hands dirty. I saw you at work."

" Oh, come on! You make it sound like I'm a toddler throwing tantrums. I can be very patient when it comes to it. I do prefer a proper fight, not because I like to get my hands dirty, but because it keeps me grounded. It stops me from becoming numb to what I do."

"What are you saying? Are you saying that the people you killed didn't deserve it?" -She scoffed at his suggestion-

"No! That's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that I know the weight of the life I'm snuffing. They were people. They had souls, and no matter how foul they were, they were humans. I am not a monster killer; I kill humans. I kill people who were capable of everything, of pure hatred, of love, even redemption. I kill people whose lives left a scar on other people's lives. It's not collateral damage or a name I scrap off my list."

"And do you regret what you're doing? With the way you view things, there is a big chance that you're going to get hurt. It's going to take a toll on your soul."

"And didn't it take a toll on your soul when you were a soldier, Alex? What's different from the job we're doing? Don't give me that crap about being fine about it. War gives PTSD. To soldiers, to civilians, and to the land itself."

She had a point. He bit his tongue and clenched his jaw because he didn't want her to feel that her words made him upset. She twisted his own reasoning for taking his first job into a weapon, and for a brief moment, Alex was pondering her words. Did he suffer from PTSD? No matter how hard he wanted to deny it, the truth was that he did. Curiously enough, it wasn't the countless bastards his team snuffed out that plagued his nights. No. It was the innocent lives his team took. A wedding took place, and while their one target attended the wedding and could have been taken out expertly, his team decided to decimate everyone. They spared no one, not even the children and the sight of their corpses was burned into his skull. He couldn't get away with it. 

"Alex....I didn't mean to insult you, okay? I'm not judging your methods. At the end of the day, we both are killers. We both take lives. One way isn't superior to the other, but just the way that works best for me and the one that works best for you."

Alex didn't answer this time, which prompted her to grab her goggles and search for him. He was alert, looking in a certain direction. She furrowed her brows and followed his gaze, only to find what he was truly looking at. Dylan Atwater was in the market. He was with a child who didn't look like him.  Because of the child's presence, the Jackal simply observed/that man/. He watched as the pair walked past him and deeper into the market. He stood up and started to follow them. Was it Dylan's child? Was it a pawn? The little boy seemed stiff, terrified even as he walked closely to the older man, and Diane's heart started to race. She couldn't possibly exclude the fact that this kid was his. After all, Dy--/That man/ had walked the Earth for a long time. Having a child out of wedlock would not be a reach. He sincerely could have had a kid at any point in his life, whether with a willing participant or not. Alex followed them into the market and opened the comms with Diane. 

"Diane. He's here."

"I know. I noticed you weren't answering me. He's with a boy. I don't have a great view from where I am. Do they seem nervous or are they comfortable?"

He walked faster, following the duo as they walked further into the market. Alex observed them and noticed that the little boy was tense and tried his best not to shake. He then looked at the hand on his shoulder belonging to Dylan Atwater. What seemed like a loving touch quickly turned into a more sinister one. He was squeezing that boy's shoulder so hard that it felt as if he was going to break it. Alex knew by then that this little boy wasn't the son of Dylan Atwater. He was a hostage.

"No. It's his hostage. You said he was a sadist, right? Could it be that he is holding the whole family hostage and is toying with them?"

"Yes. It could be. Can you take a look at the boy? I want to see something."

Alex understood what she meant. While combing through the city registry, they found that one of the couple of renters was actually a family of four. One child was still a baby, while the other was a young boy roughly the same age as the hostage. Alex could feel his heartbeat increase as he grew closer to the duo. He had to take a look at the child to confirm his suspicions without being clocked by their target. He pretended to be clumsy and pushed the boy.  The child yelped and turned around to face the older man, who fell to his knees. The man held onto the boy's shoulders and muttered an apology for pushing him around. Dylan Atwater furrowed his brows and violently pushed the older man off the young boy. 

"Watch your step, old bones!" -He groaned, while being dismissive of that old man that fell on his butt-

"I'm sorry! I didn't see the young lad. Are you okay?" -He asked the boy, who nervously nodded before Dylan grabbed his arm and pushed him behind him.-

"He is okay. He could have been hurt by you dumbass!" -He scolded him and then shrugged his shoulders- "Anyway, what's done is done. Keep on moving, Johann!" 

He ordered the boy, who nodded and walked away from the scene. A young woman came closer to Alex and offered her help so he could stand back up. Still pretending to be an old man, he agreed and found himself back on his feet after a little while. He thanked her and resumed walking, this time in the opposite direction from where the duo had gone. Diane heard everything, and her knees gave up. She recognised the voice of /that man/. She heard the way he spoke to the child, and the sound made by Alex when he fell on his butt.  She ran her hand through her hair and held a fistful of her hair. She rocked her body back and forth in an attempt to soothe herself, but it didn't help. She couldn't calm down. Hearing that man's voice was even worse than seeing him. She ended up hitting her chest with her fist, forcing her body to feel the pain she still had trapped within her. She screamed, oblivious to the fact that Alex could hear her. 

He tried to get her attention. He called her once, twice, but it didn't work, so instead he decided to walk towards the building where she was stationed. His heart sank in the pit of his stomach as he heard her gut-wrenching screams. She was always so collected, poised and in control of herself that seeing her this vulnerable was disturbing him. His hatred of /that man/ grew even more intense as he vowed to himself to personally put a bullet to his head. He wanted to make him suffer and to make him feel even worse than what she went through. It wasn't anger he was feeling anymore. It was /rage/! He was filled with rage by now and determination to get rid of that asshole for the sake of the woman he loved. 

Loved? The thought crossed his mind, but he couldn't stop himself. He was in love with Diane, and he wanted to protect her more than anything else.  He cursed under his breath because it took too long to get there, but he didn't stop until finally he pushed open the door of the rooftop.  As soon as he found her, he slowed down and knelt before her.  He found her with blood on her hands as she kept pounding into her chest and bruising herself so hard she cut her skin open. She stopped hitting her chest and gave him a thousand-yard stare. 

"I'm here. I'm here now... I'm here, Diana." -He whispered and pulled her into a hug-

-TBC-

DOYA : On the road to Pluto: Dynamic Duo

 

DOYA : On the road to Pluto: Dynamic Duo

A/N: that little case in between their search for Pluto went well. despite a rocky fight, Oya and Dean managed to kick ass. All usual disclaimers

xxxxxxxx

 

Oya and Dean were standing a few steps away from the other. Both had their shirts covered with blood -most of it from the werewolves they were hunting-. Oya was holding onto her butcher’s knife so hard that she didn’t notice her nails sunk into the skin of her palm. Her huge hazel eyes were staring at her partner, Dean, who was standing up with his gun and angel blade in both hands. He too seemed to have made quite a mess and from what she could see, he wasn’t seriously injured. She sighed with relief, knowing that they were both okay. Dean’s chest heaved up and down as he was assessing Oya’s body. He noticed the torn shirt on her right side and what seemed to have been deep scratches. She probably didn’t notice that she had been injured during the fight. He also noticed the bruises on her face, the swollen left side of her cheek due to trauma, and the blood that was dripping from her head. Did she get hit there?

 

Oya followed his gaze but didn’t understand his concern. She felt fine and he looked fine. Although upon further assessment, he seemed to have been injured too. She noticed the bruises on his face, the scratches, on his left cheek, and what seemed to have been bite marks on his shoulder. Neither of them seemed to have been left unscathed from the encounter but they were alive and they got rid of the small werewolf pack that was terrorizing this little town in South California. It looked like a job well done and it was enough for Oya to claim it as a successful day. As they were catching their breath, his emerald eyes looked down at the five bodies that were laying on the floor. The case was a simple one, people were abducted and turned up dead for a month straight.  After a little investigation, Oya and Dean managed to find out the secret lair of those murderous monsters and decided to put an end to their rampage of violence. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezing or so they thought. The fight turned out to have been far more difficult than they first assessed.

 

Oya was grateful for the case because it took her away from Pluto and the god’s shenanigans. She was able to take her confidence back and prove to herself that she was still a capable hunter. She knew that it would take a couple more cases like this one to truly put behind her the trauma of almost dying. She was, however, relieved to see that she still got it. She was an incredible hunter and the bloodbath caused by their fight against werewolves was a testament to her might.  Her eyes searched Dean’s and when they locked eyes, she finally cracked a soft smile and walked towards him.  Her free hand slowly moved up so she could put it against his chest.

 

« Are you alright ? »

 

« I’m okay. A couple of bruises, perhaps some scratches and ouch… a bite. » -He said as he glanced at his shoulder- « Nothing I can’t survive. » He paused and gently cupped her non-swollen cheek after he put his knife back into the back of his jeans. « You ? »

 

« I guess I’m okay ?... She then sighed in relief as he gently stroked her cheek.

 

« You look badass with all that blood over you. » -He genuinely thought his words. He’d seen her in action again and it was great. Oya was a natural fighter, one who mastered the blades as no other person could. She fought against those beasts like Bruce Lee, with a mix of power and elegance that didn’t go unnoticed by him. He couldn’t help but watch her as she kicked ass and took names. He couldn’t help but admire his partner and the energy she put into whatever she wanted to. Oya was driven.

 

« I look disgusting with all that blood! Look at us! we’re soaked to the bone. I need a shower and so do you! »

 

She snarled but smiled at him in a little smug smile. Dean was awesome when he fought monsters. He caught her attention back when they first met at the vampire nest. Since then, Oya had always set her eyes on him. She loved the way he used his guns and knives. Loved the way he took advantage of his surroundings. Dean was resourceful and he always looked great when kicking ass. He was the Winchester, the golden hunter who defied the odds. Hunters looked up to Dean and wanted to reach his level and yet it never got into the dirty blonde’s hunter mind. Instead, he still managed to be impressed by the other hunters' skills. Oya finally noticed that she was clenching her knife. This fight tonight wasn’t as easy as she had wished it to be. They were overwhelmed, at least at one point she could have been seriously injured. Her knife wasn’t as sharp as it used to be due to intense use of it so she made a mental note to sharpen it once they returned home. She was distracted a few times, thus getting her sides clawed up by the werewolves. She shrugged and furrowed her brows.  Dean grabbed her other cheek, entangling his fingers with her blood-soaked locks.

 

« We look disgusting, we smell like shit but you know what ? I’ll take it as a win, we saved a lot of people tonight, together. »

 

« Always… » -She repeated with a soft smile on her lips. They would need to bury the monsters and check with the victims. Ten people, mostly two families of three, a runaway teenager boy, and three adults were crying and holding onto each other. Shellshocked by their kidnapping and the revelation that monsters were real, they would need some pep-talk and comfort from the hunters as well as the promise to keep this a secret to not let the world crumble into chaos. That was Oya’s specialty. She had a knack at talking to people and convincing them of the most outrageous, yet she still was holding onto her knife in such a defensive way that Dean just needed to make sure she was doing alright before he let her go and talk to those strangers.

 

« Do you think you’re ready to talk to them? » Oya shook her head and looked at her hand dramatically. « It’s okay…it’s okay. I’ll go and talk to them. » -Oya shook her head and pulled him into a tight hug. Dean instinctively wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed her against his chest, disregarding the fact the was smelly, soaked with blood and dirt from the earlier fight. Oya didn’t care, so neither did he. « Okay.. we’ll go together then. » She nodded and gently ran her hands over his back, stroking it gently. « We’ll go together. »

 

And he took her to the victims, closely followed by the ebony hunter who looked as he started to talk to those people. She nodded and added a few words to his short explanations and sighed in relief as they all agreed to keep what happened that night to themselves, arguing that nobody would ever believe them so there was no need to share this information. The night was almost dying as sunrise was about to come but despite the exhaustion, both Oya and Dean were happy about the outcome of their fight. The case was handled well, just as they needed it. Pluto might still be waiting at a corner, thye were ready for him.

 

-TBC-

Chronicles of Lux and Tenebrae: The End

Chronicles of Lux and Tenebrae: Time

« I can't see anything ! » - Lux's voice echoed through the thick smoke-

The Keeper of Secrets said they couldn't kill an eternal. The only way to get rid of one was to send them to the Vanishing Point and it required the presence of both the Alpha and the Omega to perform such a miracle. How could they win against Time? It didn't take long for Death to confirm that Time was indeed his creator and orchestrated the attack against Life in an attempt to destroy her. The Four Horsemen were supposed to lay waste on Earth and destroy everything beyond repair and they would have if Death had not fallen in love with her. His motives were obscure and boiled down to wanting to eliminate Life because she was revered and worshipped more than he ever was. He was the first eternal and should have remained as such. When Life came to be, quickly followed by other gods, he realized that he couldn't do otherwise but accept their existence and enforce his leadership. They respected him, as their elder and genuinely followed his advice and commands. However, it soon proved not to be enough for the eternal. Life quickly became essential in all of the universes. She was the most revered eternal, so much so that Time followed. He was nothing more but a way to measure one's existence. He was nothing more but added value to Life.

« I'm here, Lux. » -Tenebrae's hand held onto her shoulder but he was also blinded by the smoke. He couldn't see clearly what was going on but he was hoping for a quick resolution. « I'm here. »

«Good! »-She narrowed her gaze in a desperate attempt at spotting something in between the heavy smoke but could not distinguish anything, not even a vague form.- « What had just happened? »

They couldn't understand, not even after it was proven that Time was behind the attacks. Death didn't want to rationalize the actions of what essentially was a rogue god. Time resented Life, he realized that there was a need for a quick end of both the wildlife and humanity, Life's greatest creation. He didn't want her to boast about her powers or the creative ways in which she used them so he created the Four Horsemen. They would have the power to destroy her creations and everything that would come from her -but wouldn't be able to kill her, for none could kill an eternal-. It was a well-crafted plan, he thought he had control over the Horsemen and he did....up until Life met Death. Time witnessed aghast, as Death fell in love with Life and realized that he could be more than just a puppet at the hands of Time. With him gone awol, it became difficult for Time to successfully destroy Earth. The other 3 Horsemen were betrayed by their brother and sent to the Vanishing Point, thus forcing the eternal to change his plans.

Since he couldn't defeat Life, then he would take everything from her, starting with her one and true love, Death. As cruel as it might have been, it served Time well to craft a « prophecy » that would prevent his enemies to fraternize. He didn't expect them to have a progeny but when Lux and Tenebrae were born, extending the prophecy to them came naturally. If they couldn't get close, then Time had nothing to fear. Princess Despair offered Time the opportunity to set the Horsemen free and with them, destroy Life's realm and kill everyone the queen cared about. He didn't count on the strength and bravery of princess Lux and the fact Life was able to banish the horsemen from her realm, using almost all of her strength. He didn't think she would have enough to bring her daughter back to life and was forced to change his plan when she did.

« Let's get closer! » -Lux assessed. She summoned a large shield to protect her as she started to walk forward. Just in front of them should be Time, Death and Life fighting.-

« I'm right behind you. The wind and the light blind me, Lux! » -Tenebrae said, holding her shoulder tighter as they started to walk towards the battlefield.-

« Hold on tight! We're soon...There ?? »

The smoke cleared as they walked closer to the source and what they found horrified the two heirs. Life, Time and Death turned into a marble sculpture. The elder god was solidified with his arm left up towards the sun. Death and Life had one of their hands on his shoulders and entwined the fingers of their free hands. They were looking at each other and were smiling. The princess shield vanished and she fell on her knees while Tenebrae widely opened her eyes. He walked towards the sculpture. Were they alive? The prince put his hand on Life's shoulder and felt the warmth. He glanced past his shoulders, his black eyes noticing the distressed goddess who was screaming and crying at the horror before her. He knitted his brows, confused and maybe angry at his own father as he walked around the sculpture and stood in front of his father. Death looked larger than life, huge as he always seemed to be in the young man's life. The son's eyes were filled with unshed tears and he laid a flat hand on his shoulder.

« Father, is that what you meant when you said I had to prepare myself to be the King? » There was no response from the sculpture, of course, how could he answer when he was turned into a living statue? « I will find the best-suited place on Earth to put you three at. A place untouched by mankind, where nature thrived. I will find you a place that is in the shadow and yet still full of life and Light so you two could protect us from Time. » His fingers clenched into a fist. « I wished I had more time, Father, more time to tell you that I am sorry for the troubles I caused. I failed to see your love for me. I failed to see your sacrifice and understand you. I failed to show you more love when I could have...But I love you, Father.»

Lux was still wailing, unable to stop herself from crying at the sight of her petrified mother. She wanted to do something, anything to make sure that this wasn't real but she knew it was the best way to stop Time. An eternal couldn't be killed, but it could be imprisoned forever. Their parents chose their destiny and an eternal life spent together, holding off the most powerful evil they could, while simultaneously still existing was a tricky but necessary choice. Life, Death and Time would still exist, ensuring the protection of Mankind and preservation of Earth. It was rational, but it was impossible for the young princess to accept it. Not after she had lost two of her brothers, not after she had just reunited with her mother. They couldn't be gone forever...They couldn't...She felt Tenebrae's hands hold onto her shoulders and squeezed them harder. Her wet eyes focused on his face and she bit her bottom lip.

« They're gone... They're gone Tenebrae... » -Her voice cracked due to the screams she let out-

« They are still here, Lux. They're not dead, just petrified. » He spoke in a soft voice, in an attempt to calm the princess who couldn't help but cry at the sight of her mother. « They told us we were their legacy and we will be. Rise, Lux! Rise as the new Queen of the Realm of all Beginnings. »

She nodded and slowly rose on her feet. It all culminated to this moment when Life and Death sacrificed themselves so their children could live the life they wanted to live. Lux held onto Tenebrae's hand and looked up at his face, searching for reassurance. Everything went too fast for the princess, but she knew she could handle it as long as Tenebrae would be by her side. He squeezed her hand and snapped his fingers, teleporting both the statue and them to a virgin remote island where they knew no human would go because it was made of mountains. Before he snapped his fingers again, Lux put her hand on his chest.

« Wait... »

« Lux ?... » He felt her hand go up and cup his alabaster cheek. Her silver eyes glowed brightly as she was still overwhelmed. He leaned into her touch, the blood that was drying on his chin and cheek soaked her hand but she didn't care.

« I do not know what tomorrow as in store for us...Now that we are king and Queen of our respective realms. »

« We can choose now. » -He smiled at her and gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.- « We can be whoever we want to be. » -He kissed her forehead.- « Question is, Do you want me to be with you? »

« Yes...Yes, I want to. » -She hastily said, her thumb stroking his cheek.-« I have always wanted to be with you Tenebrae, from the moment I saw you today, my only wish was to be with you. »-She gave him a faint smile.-« I love you. »

« I love you too. » He said covering her hand with his. « Then we can be whoever we want to be. » -She nodded.- « Lt us go, Lux... We have to. » She nodded and held his hand again. He planted another kiss on top of her forehead and snapped his fingers to teleport them. It seemed like an end, but it was just the beginning.

-ENDING-

Doya: The BBQ festival case

Doya: The BBQ festival case

A/ N: I'm hungry. And they needed to get going. A little cute something and a badass fight!

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« Don't think I'm not going to eat you tonight! » -Emmet's voice sent shivers down Oya's spine-

Several days after Dean and Oya healed from their mission with Crowley, they were contacted by Oya's childhood's friend, Joshua Thomas, who sent them to Oklahoma to work on a new case. He suspected a man to be a rugaru with an impending transformation and asked for the pair to keep an eye on him. As soon as Oya learned the town they would head to was hosting a BBQ festival, she couldn't contain her joy! It would be the very first American BBQ she would attend and the anticipation put her in an excellent mood. During their trip, Dean and Oya looked up the information Joshua had gathered. Emmet Williams, a relatively famous chef, was an orphan who was adopted by a couple of wedding caterers.

He fell in love with his work and was never able to sustain a serious relationship to this day. Single and childless he started to show a curious behaviour when he appeared on television for one of his show. What tipped Joshua was the hunger that was never quite quenched despite the man eating a large quantity of food. He came to observe him and realized that he quickly became unhinged and could barely hold himself together. With the festival coming and him being one of the top attractions, there was a risk he gave into his flesh lust and eat someone. Dean's approach was to pretend they were journalists who wanted to interview the man for a fake magazine. He told Oya it would be the best non-violent way to get in touch with the guy and try and calm him down.

He only faced a Rugaru once and wanted to see if there was another way to deal with them but killing. Deep down, The Winchester knew it was hopeless given how impossible it was to resist their hunger, but he still wanted to give it a try. Thanks to Emmet being famous, it wasn't too difficult to locate his hotel room and it didn't take long for Oya and Dean to dress up like « hipster journalists » and ask for an interview. The man allowed them in and then started a conversation between the three of them. Oya, because she was obviously a fan, was the one leading the fake interview while Dean was observing the man. He noticed he was always chugging down something and while it appeared as casual eating in the first hour of the interview, it became obvious that he couldn't stop eating. Emmett tried to resist the urge, but he was starting to lash out at Oya and they couldn't go further because his parents appeared on the scene and forced them to go away. Emmett still had not eaten a human flesh so there was a chance to stop him before it became worse. Or so they thought.

« Thanks !» -She was lucky enough to step away from the attack. Emmett punched through the wall and laughed as Oya stabbed his back with her angel blade, buying Dean some time to come back with the flamethrower. The rugaru looked at Oya, and grinned widely.-

« You, you will do.  You look plump and fat like a pig! Come over little Piggy! »

« Little what? »

If Oya didn't have a shred of self-control, she would have tried to take on the Rugaru on herself, but it would have been suicidal. Only fire could kill these creatures after all and she didn't have the right tools to deal with the situation. All she could do was contain the monster in the hotel room. He chuckled and pushed his fist off of the hole he created, and slapped Oya who flew towards the nearest wall. She rolled on her side, avoiding the fast blow he wanted to land on her but found herself cornered between the bed and the rugaru. He lifted his arms in order to hit her and she grabbed the lamp on the night desk and smashed it on his face. He growled, blinded for a minute which allowed Oya to quickly fumble on her jean. She always had a pocket knife on her and the few seconds her diversion gave her, helped Oya take a pocket knife she stabbed him in the eye with. He stood back up, screaming and she quickly stood up and ran away from him. She left the front door of his hotel room and looked for Dean who still wasn't back. A sight barely escaped from her that the rugaru punched through the wall, near the hunter who turned on her heels, her pocket knife still in her hand. She couldn't let him escape the hotel because the festival was still ongoing and he could make another victim.

« Let me eat you. It's gonna be quick. Fatty fatty fatty.. look at you being so juicy. I'm salivating already! »

He kept punching through the walls, drawing Oya back into the hotel room. She rolled into the room as she noticed the angel blade on the floor and successfully grabbed it but he was fast, so fast that he grabbed her ankle and pulled her towards him. She tried to hit him again with the knife but a quick slap and he disabled her. He grabbed the top of her head and started to hold onto it in order to crack her skull. She screamed, kicked the floor and tried to punch him but to no use.

« OYA !!! Don't move! »

WOOSH! The flamethrower burned the rugaru who released Oya's face. She took deep breathes and looked at Dean who kept dousing the creature with fire until he was sure it was frying on the spot. Oya stood back up, her legs were bruised, her fists and face hurt but she was alright. No major injury was visible. Dean was also doing alright, despite the bruises on his chest from the earlier fight against the rugaru.

« What took you so long? » She joked about when he noticed she was bleeding from the head and grabbed a tissue to dab the wound. « Ouch.. that son of a bitch didn't miss me at all. » She complained with a pout.

« Come on. Let's move. It'll be better tomorrow. » -He said with a smile.-

«What do we do tomorrow? Do we stay? Do we stay? » His smile didn't fade so she knew he was going to agree. « Yes !! I wanted to stay one more day! Come on! It's going to be epic» She kissed his lips briefly before she led the way to Baby, parked nearby.

The night went fast, Oya barely slept. Her head needed stitches Dean performed on her and the pain could barely be drowned with alcohol, so she stayed awake for a good part of the night. When finally she fell asleep, it was already dawn but the hunters allowed themselves a few hours before the festival began. After a good shower and some fresh bandages, Oya and Dean enjoyed the BBQ festival. Oya tried everything she could get her hands on and ate indiscriminately. Dean watched as she excitedly talked about the type of food she saw and how they tasted and even the bands performing were nice. She then stopped talking and leaned her cheek against the warm palm of her hand.

« What is it? » Dean asked, lifting a brow as she put her bag on the wooden table they were sitting at and started to look inside.

« I have something for you. » She sounded mysterious and rather happy. Oya, smiling? She had to have something he knew she loved in that bag.

«Oh? Is that so? » She frantically nodded and quietly pulled an awfully designed bacon-themed t-shirt. « Oya... »

« I love this tee. I am sure you'd look amazing in it. Come on! I saw that at the store, ignored by customers! I had to buy this baby and bring it home. » She put the fabric against her chest and grinned.

« Thank you. I'm not going to wear that, it's atrocious! » He teased her with. He wouldn't, they already knew he would not wear the ugly things she brought home but he liked that she found the time during their hunt, to stop by and buy something for him. « You really won't quit buying those horrors? »

« I'm going to give you a nightmare full of these. » She chuckled as he cupped her cheek and pulled her into a kiss. She closed her eyes, relishing in the feeling of his lips on hers and smiled in between their kiss. She grabbed her phone and snapped a quick picture of her pecking his cheek before she put it back into her pocket. She then proceeded to lean her head against his shoulder and watched people as they went on with their business. The sound of music, the laughter, the dances were something she wanted to soak in. They never really had the opportunity to just sit and enjoy something, so today was perfect. She entwined her fingers with him as he wrapped his arms around her waist and let her lean against his chest instead, so she could be more comfortable as music filled the air and their hearts. Life was good. They were okay.

Sam and Oya : The demon serial killer case part 3 confrontation!

A/ N: Sam and Oya finally learned the identity of the serial killer and decide to go after it. Also, he's trying to talk to her about her « lashing out » at the witch in between their case but she's avoiding talking to him.

Xxx

« SAM !!! » -Oya yelled as the demon held her neck and was choking her.-

After three days of investigation in the Church of Light, Sam and Oya finally realized that the only thread between all the murders was Chantal's wife Stephanie. Sam discovered that she was the founder of the cult and therefore was present in all the five states where it existed. While Chantal recruited new members locally, Stephanie traveled through the country and was present each and everytime a new victim showed up. Sam confirmed it was Stephanie and the pair decided they could confront her at a time where there would be no followers so nobody would get hurt. Usually, the followers had a very tight timetable, filled with activities that were supposed to ensure the cohesion of the group except for Thursday afternoon and nights. Thursday was free, which made it easier for the Winchester and the African hunter to search for their target. Their investigation started to raise suspicion and have people talk a lot about this strange couple. The death of the local witch, only made things worse and tipped Chantal who started to lead her own investigation. She started to piece things together and realized that her wife was actually potentially a serial killer. Mortified, she confronted the woman who quickly revealed the truth and snapped her neck. 

Oya and Sam arrived at their house, having noticed from afar the lights being on. The woman grabbed a regular knife and left the car, quickly followed by Sam, who also had a hunter's knife and a gun in his hand. As soon as they entered the home, the lights went off, making Oya grunt and motion to Sam that she was going upstairs while he should keep looking for their target on the ground floor. The house seemed pretty normal at first glance, but Oya knew better and kept her attention on her surroundings. She opened the office room and found Chantal's body laying on the floor. The poor woman's throat was snapped, which didn't coincide with the murders that took place in the past. Furrowing her brows, Oya started to wonder if they got it right because it didn't make sense that Chantal's body wouldn't be mutilated like the other victims. Before she could further her investigation, she felt the presence of someone on her back. Stephanie tried to stab Oya with a knife but Oya dodged the attack by sliding to the left. The knife stayed stuck on the wooden table and Oya used the moment Stephanie realized it, to turn around with a punch that was blocked by the woman. Her eyes turned black, indicating that she was a demon.

Oya tried to kick the demon's left side but her leg was caught by the monster who then proceeded to slam the African hunter's body against the wall. Oya grunted and stabbed the creature's shoulder with her regular knife. It made her chuckle and slap the African hunter in the face before she held her by the neck. Sam heard the noises upstairs and quickly ran the stairs up to the first floor. He looked into the bedrooms but they were empty and followed the noise. He gasped at the sight, but furrowed his brows and tried to stab the demon bitch without hesitation, but she heard him from when he ran upstairs thanks to the old wood that creaked and made some distinguishable noise and because she did, it wasn't difficult to block him with her other hand and throw him around against the nearest wall. She tilted her head to the side, giving a slasher smile to Oya who was still choking on her hand. The distraction provided by Sam was enough for Oya to use the wall to push her knee up so it could hit the demon's chin.It worked, making Stephanie take some steps back. 

Oya groaned as she felt short of breath. The hunter grabbed the knife that was on Stephanie's shoulder and used it to cut through her left eye, effectively blinding the vessel and forcing the creature to snarl and release her neck. By the time Oya fell onto the floor, Sam had been back to his feet and tried to stab the creature with a demon blade. The demon grinned and punched Sam's belly, once, twice but lost focus on Oya who rubbed her throat as she now could breathe. She stood back up and watched as the demon kicked Sam, who dropped his knife that rolled towards Oya. 

"A Winchester in my lair. Who would have thought I would have the best prey?!" Stephanie finally said. "How exciting! you're both no match for me but I like a little struggle." 

She cooed, grabbing the knife that was stuck on the table. She disregarded the fact Oya might still be able to hunt due to her straining her throat. Sam rolled on his side, avoiding the attack of the demon, once, twice and then blocked the knife with both hands while he glanced at Oya who was trying to stand back up so she could help Sam. The brother grunted as Stephanie bent forward and grinned at his face.

"Without Crowley leading Hell, we're pretty much free to do as we please. Nobody's going to save you from your destiny. You have to die, Sam Winchester." 

She said, using her strength to lift the knife and tear down the skin on both Sam's hands but before she could stab him, Oya managed to stand up and stab her through the heart with Sam's demon blade. She screamed and as the lifeless corpse of Stephanie fell onto the floor, Oya legs gave up on her and she sat by it. Sam sat too and both stared at each other, heavily breathing from their fight. Oya's hazel eyes averted from Sam's face to the body of the serial killer and then from it to the box filled with her past crimes memorabilia. This case would be easy to explain, easier than previous tragedies. Stephanie was a serial killer long before the demon took possession of her body, so explaining what happened was not going to be much of a challenge. However, the witch Oya killed was another story... They managed to cover up their tracks but Sam was still bothered by what he witnessed. Oya was upset. She let herself be surprised by a demon, she didn't go inside fully prepared. What could she do with a regular blade against Angels or Demons? She furrowed her brows and hit her lap, frustrated by her encounter with a demon and the fear she now was starting to experience.

"Oya?" Sam said in a worried tone. She looked up to his eyes but clenched her jaw "Are you alright?"

"Yeah..." She shook her head. "No... " She wiped a tear off of her face. "I'm not."

"Yeah?" He encouraged her to speak, but in true Sam fashion, he wouldn't push her. He had questions that died at the back of his throat; Questions about the night with the Witch and why she was acting the way she did.

"I already can't handle angels... You know that, right?." He nodded, his brown eyes glancing at Stephanie's body. "I can't handle them...I can't handle them so imagine how little I can handle demons....."  She said, both disappointed scared. Her hands were shaking as she spoke, her whole body was still in shock of her encounter. It was her first demon, the very first besides Crowley that she actually fought and killed. "I couldn't face Stephanie... I couldn't face her.."

"You-- You killed her. You saved me. /you/, did that." He said, trying to reassure her. She glanced at him and swallowed a lump. "You faced a demon today."

"How are you not terrified?" She asked, her voice light as the wind as she knelt on the floor and tried to stand up. "How are you not terrified everytime you face a demon? or even the King of Hell?  Or.." She wiped another couple of tears and watched as Sam stood back up.

"Don't think we're not afraid. We just do it, just like you did. We just do it and you did it today. You will do it tomorrow." He outstretched his hand to help her stand on her two feet. "Thank you, Oya."

"You're welcome..." -She said as she held onto his hand and stood back up.-

"Let's go back home." He said, grabbing her shoulder to give it a firm squeeze before he left the room. 

Oya followed him, lost in her thoughts. She knew that it wasn't over and they both would need to talk about what happened in the house with the witch.  Oya wanted to avoid the conversation. She didn't want to talk about her fear of losing him and his brother. She didn't want to talk about the nightmare in itself or about the bloodlust that took over her. Oya fell silent, unable to think as he took her to the motel room they were renting so she could take a shower and cleanse herself from the day.  She didn't say anything as he brought her back some pizza to eat and even less when they fell asleep. She had a nightmare that night, one that had her kicking and screaming but Sam was with her, his arms wrapped around her frame and his chin on top of her curly black hair. He watched over her all night long,stroking her arms and petting her back to keep her calm. It was going to be a conversation for another day. Another day.

DOYA : A taste of « normalcy »

A/N: And a little action scene. A rescue mission turned into a survival one. However, it did give Oya and Dean a taste of how their lives would have been if they were « normal » people.

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« Mommy? Are we going to die? »

Oya heard the little girl ask her mother, Leda, as the two hugged each other. Of course, the mother reassured her daughter and told her that everything would be alright but neither she or Dean or Oya knew for that matter if any of them would survive the night. The African hunter glanced at Dean who was by the window and from time to time peeked at the garden to see how many enemies gathered around the house. The situation escalated quickly since their arrival but it wasn't impossible to survive the ordeal. She walked closer to him and put her hand on his shoulder.

« How many? »

« I've counted 5 of them. Each of them has two guns, I saw one with a knife. »

« Five? Sounds manageable... » -Oya said as she looked at the mother and the daughter. « Dean, if we don't make it... » She sighed and then cupped his cheek. « It was a great ride. » She grinned and pressed her lips against his.

« Listen! I don't mind taking lives if that means I can protect my daughter! » The mother finally said. « After all, I dragged you into this Oya. I need to do something. »

« And take the risk to have your daughter live knowing her mother killed people, Leda? »

« I don't mind a few dead people. » Leda nodded and hugged her daughter tighter. « I need to do what's right for my daughter. I need to. » She said in a growl.

Leda married a werewolf who accidentally bit the daughter she had from a previous marriage and turned her into a werewolf. Her husband's whole pack was slaughtered ever since this « couple counselor » appeared in town. It turned out that the man was a hunter who was hellbent on slaughtering every beast, including children. Leda was born Cameroonian and used to hang out with Oya and her family when they were younger. She moved out to the USA two decades ago where she acquired the American nationality and made a life for herself as a fashion designer.

Her first marriage didn't work out but she had the exclusive parenting rights on her kid, Nadya. Jerome, the werewolf was a good man, with a heavy secret and neither she or Nadya wanted to leave him. He loved his family and even went against his pack's rules, not to date outside of the community. Of course, when the strange man started to kill every werewolf, she decided to protect her child and call her childhood friend for an extraction mission. Oya couldn't refuse the case and asked Dean to come with her.

Of course, Dean wanted to have confirmation that the mysterious deaths were of actual monsters before he made a move. He needed to confirm Leda's story and find a way out of town that wouldn't require killing anybody. The plan was to pretend He and Oya were a married couple who'd just recently moved into the house of one of the victims. To be less suspicious, Oya had to pretend she was the sweet and innocent Stepford wife. It was a real challenge given the abrasive nature of the hunter who had to conceal her disgust and anger. She normally would have lashed out at her anyone who decided to attack her but it would have exposed her real nature, so she gave tight smiles. Of course, Dean always came to her rescue and was intimidating enough to make the pig, who addressed Oya in derogatory terms, think twice before escalating the situation. Curiously, racism was quite not the main reason people came to them. People didn't come at them because they were an interracial marriage but rather that they came from the big city.

Some of the new neighbors were suspicious of these newcomers who knew nothing about living in a small town and probably thought it was fancy before it was time to leave. Others didn't mind them and were very friendly. Most were upset over the deaths that occurred but never connected the dots. They always looked like bad luck or domestic accidents and only the most superstitious of them thought it was God's retribution. After all, these couples all entered a therapy, so their marriage wasn't working well and if it wasn't then it probably was because Satan entered their relationships. Fortunately, many did welcome and appreciate the new couple. Many neighbors came with apple pies or beef lasagnas too.

Leda and her daughter were the house next door so Dean and Oya spent most of their nights in their house for dinner. Oya enjoyed it. She enjoyed waking up in the morning and kissing Dean goodbye when he went to work at the local cabinetmaker. He was great with his two hands and manual labor became art whenever he was working wood. She enjoyed wearing a ring too. At first, she thought she would have a heart attack when he slid the ring on her finger because it reminded her of Fabrice. Her hand was shaking, she was shaking but he held her hand tight and kissed her hard in order to reassure her. They weren't going to get married for real and they weren't going to lead this boring-ass life together. It was all an act. She was aware of that but seeing that ring after several weeks of playing pretend was quite something.... it felt good?

« Let's turn the lights off. We'll surprise them. They wouldn't be able to see her clearly through the dark. Leda, shelter Nadya now! »

She whispered, swallowing a lump, as she stared at her friend hide her daughter under the kitchen sink. A quick glance to Dean who nodded and they turned the living room and the kitchen's lights off. All three of them quickly spread across the house. Leda took the biggest kitchen knife she could find, while Oya and Dean both had guns and knives in both hands. Leda waited in the middle of the living room. Dean was hidden in the wall near that separated the living room from the entry hall and Oya was on the other side. All three of them were staring at each other, their eyes now used to be in the dark. There was barely a sound in the house but they could clearly hear the footsteps of their assailants become louder and louder. Finally ! The front door was destroyed with a kick and the five men entered the house.

« Jean! Dirk ! Go upstairs! Check for the bitch and her abomination! Jack, Cole, follow me. Anything that moves, you shoot! »

Orders were clear. Dean tightened his grip on his knife and Oya on her gun. She looked at him, thinking that it might be the last time she had the pleasure to stare at his face. It didn't last long, maybe just a second where she wished they didn't come here for a case, but maybe because they really wanted to start over. Yes, it wasn't true, it wasn't them. Oya wasn't meant to be a housewife. All the days spent without hunting were wasted days for her. She wanted the thrill of the hunt, the fight, the danger and the fact she saved lives. She wanted to be in the action rather than watch Dean do all the heavy lifting. Dean hated it as well. Not being able to hit the road and hunt for a ghost or a werewolf was painful to him. Being a hunter defined him, saving people lives, doing it with Sam, Oya or Cas.

It was who he was and he refused to give it even though he had a taste of what a normal life was by Oya's side. It felt as though both had retired and were living the American dream except after a while it became old and boring. Of course, the only thing he wasn't fully against -although not exactly looking forward to- was wearing that ring and calling Oya his wife. It felt alien in his mouth. It felt like he was living in an alternate reality but it wasn't completely bad either. In real life, they were FAR from calling each other husband and wife. Both couldn't even get around her calling him « boyfriend » in private (she never did in public. Always called Dean by his name or Dickhead rather than a pet name) so how could they even get to him calling her wife?

The ring wasn't a bother. It wasn't because he somehow already wore something from her that felt like one -the pendant she sculpted for him-. And he bought a custom dagger he knew she would love to have, with her name carved on it along with the date she gave him the pendant. The ring wasn't a bother but it felt like a promise. -not an improvement of some sorts since their relationship was already great as it was. Indeed, they slept together, fucked each other, hunted together and protected one another. - Very few people were aware of their bond. Sam knew because he was clever, Cas was an angel so he would notice this kind of things rather quickly. Crowley by extension guessed it, which didn't please either of Dean or Oya. The rest of the world was unaware which led to hilarious moments of Oya's jealousy exploding on the unaware ladies who dared to get close to Dean. The ring, somehow, made it official and everyone was aware of their bond and stopped trying to get into his pants or hers for that matter. It wasn't as bad as they thought it would be but it wasn't exactly ideal either. Either way, now wasn't the time to think about it

James, Cole and the nameless leader arrived at the living room. They slowly walked past the front door. James who was the closest to Dean turned on his left and tried to shoot at him, but Dean pushed his arm away, making the gun hit against the wall and making James grunt. He grabbed Dean's shirt and pushed him against the wall. Cole was on the nameless leader's right. As soon as he heard James having trouble, he pointed his gun at Dean but Oya used her knife and stabbed his arm, making him groan in pain and turn on his right to slam Oya against the wall. The nameless leader shot without warnings at Leda since she was in his range but she moved fast and dodged the bullets. She crouched and hid behind one of the coaches and slowly crawled towards the other end of it. The noise attracted the other two men, Jean and Dirk who quickly went downstairs.

Dean could have been upset over the prospect of taking a life, years ago he would have been. Time went by and after dealing with so much shit, all he knew was that he would do all he could to save innocent lives. Leda's daughter was innocent. Yes she ate raw beef meat, yes she sometimes turned into a werewolf cub but she was aware of her true nature and what it implied. She was aware of the precautions she had to take and Leda was raising her right. She was a precious little girl and he refused to see her die at the hands of hateful people. He dug up and found out that the pack they killed was actually helping the community and that many townspeople were aware of their true nature. This counselor and his ilk of skilled hunters arrived and forced their bigoted views on the townspeople. James fired two bullets and one grazed Dean's ear, making it bleed profusely -but it wasn't lethal so he didn't care. Dean didn't flinch much, aside from having his eardrums shocked to the point he couldn't hear anything for a good 20 minutes. It didn't matter, it had happened before. He threw James away, making him fall on his back and shot one bullet on his left arm and another one on his head.

Oya felt Cole's hand grab her neck and slam her against the wall. It made her drop her gun on the floor. She might have stabbed his arm earlier on but didn't hurt any nerve so he could still move it. He was taller than her, at least of three good heads and used his height to his advantage. She kicked his belly, but he was strong enough to resist her assaults. She tried to stab him but he grabbed her wrist and slammed it against the wall, effectively making her drop her knife as well. Her eyes grew wide. Leda closed her eyes as the leader shot at the couch, thanking her husband for choosing such a thick furniture. She then went at the edge of it and met face to face with him. The leader was a tall lean brown haired guy who held his gun a few inches from her face. Before he could shoot at her, Dean shot his shoulder, making him lose focus and allowing Leda to stand up and slash the wrist that held the gun. The leader screamed and dropped his gun but he hit her face with his fist while Dirk shot at Dean. The bullet hit his shoulder but Dean turns around and planted his knife in Dirk's belly.

Oya took the opportunity of a distracted Cole who released one of her hands in order to grab his knife that was behind his back to have her hit his throat with her palm, forcing him to choke on air. She then used the same hand to punch his face and make him step back and then used her knee to hit his sternum forcing him to release her throat and her body at the same time. Oya landed on the floor. She had the time to grab the knife that was on the floor before Cole came back and with brute force, slammed her against the wall with his whole weight. She stabbed him right in the throat, thus killing him in the process, and landed on the floor right when Jean came. Alarmed by the screams of their leader, he aimed his gun at Leda and shot her in the back, making her fall.

The leader was injured but not enough for the wounds to be lethal. Oya screamed and pushed the corpse of Cole to jump on Jean from behind, crossing her legs around his waist while her hands were holding onto his neck. It made him lose his balance and prevented him from shooting at Leda. Dirk proved to be resilient so he didn't fall when he was stabbed by Dean and instead grabbed Dean's arm and punched his face hard enough to make him bleed. Dirk then punched him again and removed the knife from his belly to try and stab Dean with it instead. The Winchester older brother dodged the knife and pushed Dirk's arm away. They struggled a little before Dean managed to make him fall and straddle him. Oya watched powerlessly as Leda was headshot in front of her by the leader.

« NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!!! » She broke Jean's neck in a fit of rage and as the body landed on the floor, Oya stood back up.

Dean was punching Dirk with one fist while trying to make him drop his gun. His hearing was still very bad but he was able to hear a sound (just at a distance). He kept punching Dirk, soaking his fists with blood as he went on. He heard the scream so of course, his eyes averted from his enemy to Oya who was screaming. His green eyes followed her and he noticed Leda on the floor, eyes wide open and half her brain out. He didn't even have time to warn Oya to be careful that he heard a second gunshot and saw blood quickly forming on her belly. He punched Dirk hard enough to knock him out and grabbed the gun Jean dropped near him and used it to shoot at the leader's face. Effectively killing him. He then aimed it at Dirk's face and quickly ran towards Oya. She fell on the ground, unable to stand up after the gun wound she sustained. Her eyes were wide open. It happened so quickly and she was bleeding so fast. He removed his shirt and put it on the wound to stop the bleeding. He quickly looked at her for signs of internal bleeding but she was responsive and seemingly awake.

« Oya !!!! Oya !! Fuck! Oya ! »

« I'm okay. Dean.. Go get Nadya, we need to leave right now. »

« Can you move? » She nodded and grabbed the shirt she pressed against her wound. "I'd take a look in the car when we're far away from that place.  But if it's too serious, I take you to the hospital!"

He didn't want to argue with her, he would take her to the hospital if her injuries were too serious. He helped her stand up and walked her to the stairs before he went to the kitchen and grabbed Nadya. Dean's face was so tense and serious that his jawline might have imploded from the sheer pressure alone. He was worried, overwhelmingly worried about Oya's survival. They took stab wounds, gunshot wounds, and magic wounds before but seeing her bleed this fast and this much was new for him and the sudden realization that she might die froze him. She shook her head and smiled at the little 6 years old who was protected from the sight of her dead mother by Dean before the three of them could escape from the house. Soon enough police would come over and see the bloodbath that was left behind, they would question about the couple that came to town but eventually, Oya and Dean would be declared dead or missing. Maybe if the investigation was seriously led, would they link the people killed to the other murders and allow the families of the werewolves killed these last months to finally make their peace? Dean didn't care much about all of that. He killed those assholes, saved Nadya and was more focused on saving Oya now.

Eventually, the wound would prove to be superficial as it didn't touch any vital organs and she would be patched up pretty fast at the hospital, much to Dean's relief. Nadya already knew her mother was dead, from the moment she heard Oya scream « no ! » to the fact Leda wasn't in the car with them.She surprised both adults with the way she handled the situation, knowing that bad people would eventually come and try to kill her like they did her step-dad but she was ready for it to happen. She was sent to her step-aunt in Indiana who was a werewolf and Dean took Oya back to the bunker as soon as she could hit the road. She slept through the whole trip, which allowed him to think about what it meant to see her injured. 

They were lucky it wasn't a serious injury. They were lucky Oya didn't die. He himself could have died back in that house but they got lucky. He got lucky. He let his hand on her thigh and sometimes stroked her cheek. Dean didn't want Oya to die. Seeing her injured like this helped his fears resurfaced and he nearly had a heart attack thinking about losing her. He couldn't afford to lose Oya, not now, not ever. She turned on herself and leaned into his touch a little more. Dean would not talk about the impact that case had on him. He couldn't possibly voice it, let alone inform Oya that he didn't want to see her get injured and the thought of almost losing her overwhelmed him. He wouldn't say anything because she was still alive and he would focus on that. As he parked the car, he gently woke her up with a light shake. She opened her beautiful hazel eyes and stared at him.

« We're home. » He informed her before he planted a kiss on her lips. They were home.