canon au } { post-3b, of alternate realities and surprise winchesters

[ooglyboogleys]

Dawn: [starts to come to with a groan, the athame still lodged in her shoulder. Her eyes wander down to it, and she winces for a moment, before closing her fingers around it and yanking it out with a soft cry. Once that's done she frowns, looking around to see if there's anyone else. Her eyes land on a body not too far from her, and when she recognizes the face she starts to panic] Isaac? Isaac!

Isaac: [groans and opens his eyes, wincing as he realizes his arm is dislocated] Yeah, I can hear you.

Peter: [is on the other side of him, rubbing at his eyes]

Dawn: [breathes a little easier when she sees both of them moving. She then glances up to see if there's anyone else] Good. Was there anyone else, other than you two?

Peter: [sitting up] Cora. [he looks around, trying to find her, then takes a deep sniff and coughs] Oh wow, that's different.

Dawn: [her eyes widen with worry, and she scans the field for a moment, trying to locate her. It takes her a minute but she eventually spots her, a few yards from them and not moving] Peter, there!

Peter: [is up and leaning over Cora, checking her over carefully] Cora, honey, wake up.

Cora: [everything hurts. she groans softly as she starts to come to, eyes blinking up at Peter] What happened?

Peter: Not sure yet, but this place doesn't smell good at all. Come on, back to the group with you.

Isaac: [groans and pops his shoulder into place, stifling his howl of pain]

Dawn: [still bleeding, but not seriously. She's going to have to cover this up, but she's busy looking around, trying to get a sense of their surroundings] I think we're in New York?

Cora: [frowns a bit as she lets Peter help her up, leaning on him a bit] Are you sure? I thought the spell was for hell dimensions.

Ben: [as she looks around, she will see him up in one of the windows of a destroyed building, automatic rifle pointed down at them as his face is half hidden in the shadows of the room] Well, you know, this place can be Hell on a bad day. [smirks] You four are new.

Michael: [is covering him from the opposite window, happy to let his cousin do the talking]

Dawn: [her hand comes up to shade her eyes towards the voice, and when she gets a lock on the face her eyes widen] Dean?! [she could not have gotten that lucky. There has to be a catch]

Cora: [her eyes flash gold as she tries to get a better look from where she is and yep. that guy looks like Dean Winchester, sure enough.]

Peter: [is looking up as well, sniffs the air] Not all that sure about that one...

Ben: [chuckles] Now I haven't heard anyone call me Dean in a while. Sorry, sweetheart, your grandpa is right. Wrong generation. Still doesn't explain who you are and how you know Dean.

Michael: [peers down at her through the scope for a moment and when he does his breath catches. No way. No friggin way.] Holy shit, that's Dawn Summers.

Dawn: Wow, he is not my grandpa. [Dawn that is not the thing to focus on right now, but given that Peter's supposed to be dating her sister, she'll take offense to that for him] And ... yes, I am Dawn Summers. I know - knew? - Dean. I'm a friendly. Or I hope I'm a friendly. Also? Bleeding. So medical help would be greatly appreciated if you can spare it.

Ben: [looks over at his younger cousin a minute, then steps out into full view in the window, gun still aimed.] Dawn Summers is dead, if I recall correctly.

Peter: [glaring up between the two of them] Well, she will be again unless one of you geniuses happens to have a hospital around here.

Isaac: [standing up and going to stand next to Cora and whispers] You get the look alike, I'll get the younger one?

Cora: [eyes stay on the windows for a moment, but her hand wanders to Isaac's wrist as though to say "wait." She's not sure what they want yet.]

Dawn: [gives Peter an admonishing look before holding up the athame in her hand.] See this? Silver. You can come and test it yourself if you want, but ... [she'll turn so that the opposite arm is extended in front of her, closing her eyes at the fact that they're going to make her bleed some more, before drawing the blade quickly across her skin to prove she is who she says she is] No smoke. But if you know who I am, you also know you really don't want to piss off the two very overprotective Hale werewolves behind me. So can we talk about this like normal people who don't carry assault rifles?

Michael: [his eyes go back to the scope again as he gets a better look at the two wolves behind her.] That definitely looks like Peter and Cora Hale but they're way too young. Something's not right. [but his tone indicates he's not entirely sure that something's wrong either]

Ben: [looks over at Michael, giving him a look somewhere between shut up or cover me. Probably both. SO very Winchester. But he pulls back the rifle and straps it over his shoulder.] Bring her in here. It's not safe out on the streets anyway. I've got a med kit on me.

Peter: [looks back at Dawn] I don't trust that one.

Isaac: [looks at Cora, then nods. He doesn't like the fact, but] This place doesn't smell right. Let's do what he says and get off the street.

Dawn: [glances back to Peter, before pointing to Michael, who is still lingering in the window, watching them curiously] That one knows me. So I'm willing to bet that they're not as hostile as they're making themselves seem right now, and I need to get this looked at before I go into shock, which given how feeling no pain I am right now? Might have already happened. So ... one threat at a time?

Cora: [glances from Isaac to Peter, a bit pleading because Dawn has a point.]

Peter: [growls, but nods] Fine, but second he becomes a threat...

Ben: You four coming or you planning on being Croat dinner?

Isaac: [nods, then goes over to help with Dawn so he's at least doing something]

Dawn: Croat. That's what I was worried about. [she makes a face and then will happily lean on Isaac because that means she can worry a little less about staying upright. Cora follows after them]

Michael: [waits until they disappear into the building before heading downstairs, green eyes watching them intently as he does. When his eyes land on Dawn, he's possibly even more surprised, because she looks pretty much almost exactly like she did the last time he saw her. It's weird. but he doesn't talk and let's Ben handle it. He's usually better at it.]

Dawn: [a small smile to him, catching something familiar about him but doesn't say anything] So. How about those stitches?

Ben: [rolls his tongue against his cheek a moment, then looks at the three wolves surrounding her. Yeah, he knows who they are, curly haired boy excluded] Long as your puppies don't plan on biting. [he holds up the first aid kit, exchanging looks with the other three]

Peter: [growls a bit more. He is not a fan of this kid] You make it worse, biting is the least of your worries.

Ben: [gives him a smirk] Notice how I'm not all that scared, papa wolf.

Michael: [is making a face at his cousin right now] Please don't, dude. I know it's hard for you but I got to hear stories of what he did to the last group of people that hurt his family growing up. I don't want to be group number two.

Dawn: [keeps her eyes on Ben] Your friend is right. [then peers around him to Michael, trying to figure out why he looks so familiar. Hearing stories about Peter? Not giving much in way of leeway.] But that's why I'm going to keep Isaac here with me. Kind of like a bodyguard-slash-armrest-slash-means of not damaging Peter's calm. [she glances back to him] That cool with you, Isaac? [she's possibly leaning on him a little more heavily now, the past half hour catching up with her as the adrenaline fades]

Isaac: Yeah, it's cool. [he looks at Cora and flicks his eyes at Peter because she can deal with him]

Peter: [turns to look at the other boy now, suddenly fascinated with him] And just how would you know the stories of my family, boy?

Ben: [rolls his eyes and goes over to deal with Dawn, setting up the medkit on a crate next to her. It was packed in perfect military order, and he grabbed a pair of gloves first before going anywhere near the blood on her shoulder. First he wiped it down with a clean rag and water from a silver flash with a cross on it, then grabbed a brown bottle] This is gonna sting, but that means it's working [he prewarned, then went to pour a capfull of peroxide over the wound before he went to blow on it] So while I stitch this up, care to explain how you four suddenly appeared in the streets? We scoured this part of the city yesterday and it was dead. [literally]

Michael: [eyes go wide because wow that was the exact opposite of what he wanted. crap. crap crap crap.] My parents knew Derek and Cora and you by association I guess. Same way they knew Buffy and Dawn.

Cora: [eyes him for a moment, before stepping between him and Peter. There's another few steps before her hand finds his jacket and gives it a hard tug] I've seen this before. [then she's leaning in and inhaling, because there's something about him that's ...] Winchester.

Dawn: It was a spell. [there was supposed to be more of a ramble but she was distracted by Cora] Wait, what?

Michael: [looks supremely uncomfortable because] You can pick that up from scent?

Cora: You're family. The scent isn't that far off. [she tugs at the jacket again] And this is Sam's. I've seen him wear it.

Michael: [yanks back and suddenly looks defensive, the gun in his hand being angled across his body - it's not raised, he's not going to shoot her, it's just adding another extra layer of distance between him and her.]

Ben: [turns, looking at Michael sharply] Really? [Looks at Cora] It's his now. Sam Winchester's dead, along with Dean. But seeing that you're all supposed to be dead too, looks like we're all going to have issues with each other. Now can one of you please for the love of god tell me how the fuck you four are here, today. May 10th, 2028 if you don't have your watches handy.

Isaac: You really lack any kind of tact, you know that right?

Ben: Blame it on my 5th grade education. I want the story before I finish stitching up this shoulder or we will just leave you here to fend on your own. Which I'm sure papa wolf is probably thinking he can do anyway.

Peter: [growling]

Dawn: As I said. It was a spell. [she glances to Michael] You know me, you know what I am, right?

Michael: [takes his eyes off Cora for a moment to glance at her, then nods] The Key. [then, for Ben's benefit] Glowy ball of magic, meant to open holes between dimensions.

Dawn: Very good! Now there was an evil demon, who wanted me to be Key-like, and we tried to stop it, but not before he could trigger the portal. We all got sucked in the wake. And that's what you missed on Glee. [please don't make her explain the pop culture reference, she's getting tired.] But 2028. That ... explains a lot. Dean mentioned Croats and a 2014 set-up similar to this one, but he neglected to mention an additional son. Or nephew? I don't know but I feel like you guys know a lot about who we are and we don't know anything about who you are so turnabout being fair and all, some introductions would be nice.

Michael: [sighs softly for a moment, before leaning back against the wall. He remembers the debacle with the two Deans but he was maybe seven at the time. Bela had kept him out of the way and out of sight.] My name's Michael. I'm Sam's son.

Dawn: [is quietly doing the math on that one but something doesn't add up, but she's going to ignore that. At least for now.] Huh.

Ben: [works his jaw, focusing on the stitches. He's not one to talk about his relations. Michael was his cousin, Bela had been a great aunt, but by the time his mother died, any chance of a real bond with his own father was far from fatherly] And I'm Ben. Braeden. [that's all you're getting unless Michael flaps his mouth some more, which he's sure he will]

Peter: [does the math in his head of the current date and how old Michael looks] You said both your parents. Who's your mother? [because as far as Peter know, Sam wasn't dragging a toddler around with him in hunts]

Dawn: [Oh, Ben. That was the wrong thing to tell her. Because the minute he says his last name, her face lights up and she's placing her hands on his cheeks] No way. [then there's a bit of a shriek] I knew you were Dean's kid. You probably don't remember me at all because in this timeline you probably never met me, but Buffy so owes me twenty bucks. [Buffy bet against it, because Dean having kids is a scary thought. Just for the record. to Isaac:] When we get back, remind me to tell Buffy she owes me twenty bucks.

Michael: [eyes Peter again, unsure if he wants to pursue that particular line of thought.] What does it matter? She's dead too.

Ben: [pulls out of her grip quickly, his feathers obviously ruffled] Hey, I may share a bloodline with the guy, but I'm not his kid. Got it? [he pointed the stitching needle at her like a weapon]

Peter: Well, if it's any consolation... where the four of us come from, the Winchester brothers are both alive and well [today, at least. They had a habit of dying and coming back] Perhaps she is too.

Dawn: [her hands go up as a sign of surrender, but that doesn't stop the look of glee on her face. the narration is so sorry, Ben.] Got it. My bad. [so wins the bet]

Michael: [eyes Peter skeptically for a moment, the emotions conflicting all over his face, because he isn't really sure he wants to know. But in the end, there's a part of him that can't stop himself] Bela Talbot.

Peter: [thinks] I don't recognize the name. Ladies?

Ben: [he just gives her the spot on Dean look of are you serious, then shakes his head and goes back to finishing her shoulder] Michael, don't be disappointed if they don't know her. Neither of us recognize the curly haired one either so there's bound to be a few differences in their time.

Dawn: [oh, nope, Dawn knows that name. She peers around Ben at Michael, and yep. That's Bela in his eyes. Funny how that works.] I know her. So does Derek. [that's more for Peter's benefit than anything else.] What year were you born?

Michael: 2008?

Dawn: [nods slowly, before cringing slightly] I think there were some ... very different circumstances for your parents where we're from.

Michael: [eyes narrow] What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Dawn: Bela wasn't pregnant in 2008? Not that I knew her well then but as far as I know your parents didn't get together until 2011. [because when Sam was soulless doesn't count]

Michael: [there's a long, long pause] So where you're from, I don't exist.

Dawn: [there's a beat] Sorry?

Ben: [gritting his teeth and finishes the stitches, cutting the string and taking off the gloves with the bloody things safely folded up inside. He's going to have to do some damage control now and walked over to his cousin, hands on his shoulders and staring him in the eyes] Different worlds, different circumstances. Doesn't mean you're any less real here, got it? Take a walk. [because while Ben was 29 and as close to heartless as a lot of people took him for, his cousins were his one link to keep him human and he wasn't losing his focus]

Peter: [moves back over to Dawn, looking at the stitches and nodded] Impressive. Good work for a 5th grade education.

Isaac: I'm lost at this point, guys. What is this place?

Michael: [slumps a bit but he nods before heading for the door. He needs the air anyway, because this night was not going according to plan.]

Dawn: [watches him go before turning back to Isaac, who she's practically laying on at this point] A couple years back, Dean got tossed into this apocalyptic future by an angel who was trying to prove a point. It was meant to help motivate him into saying yes to start the big war between angels and demons. It had the exact opposite effect, but Dean eventually managed to stop the Apocalpyse anyway - at least in our universe. This looks like it's a run off from that world. Ben Braedan is Dean's ... [she stops herself before using the "k" word again] ... Dean hooked up with his mom a long time ago and Ben happened. Michael is apparently Bela and Sam's kid but I ... still don't really know how that works because I'm pretty sure in 2008 Bela was dead. [at least temporarily.]

Cora: [listens to all of that and it sounds kind of crazy but she's curious about something else] You said Dawn Summers was dead. What about Buffy? Or Giles?

Ben: [hears the end of that speech and is SO glad Michael was gone when the D word came up. He turns to look at the four of them, arms crossed and so very, very pissed] Ninety percent of the world is dead, sweetheart. It's 2028. The Croats took out everyone beyond a few groups of people with a natural immunity to the virus - which is a very, very short list that Michael and I happen to be on. [along with Olivia, wherever she is] After that, demons came up and starting picking off the survivors with the immunity. So you guys right now are looking at being on list a - Croat food, or b - demon dresses. And seeing that the three of you [points at Peter, Cora and Dawn] already ended up food once, pretty sure you're still on that list. Pretty boy may be lucky.

Peter: You do realize we're not your enemies here.

Ben: No, what I know right now is that I've got four people here pulled into my world from a place that my cousins don't exist in because Dean obviously went back and changed things up. So maybe you've got a better world and you think you know who we may be, but what you think you know is wrong. Now you want to survive in this place until you figure out how we can shove your asses back home, fine. Out of respect for Michael's memories of who you probably were to him, we'll take you in and show you the ropes. But you're going to pull your weight and you'll listen to me. [he looked at Peter] I'm the alpha of this pack, if that makes it easier for you to understand.

Dawn: [is quiet for a moment. A very long moment. And then she raises her hand.] Um. Just for clarification? Things were different before Dean changed the timeline. I'm gonna guess that asking you might not get far, but I'm going to hazard a guess that Bela didn't die from selling her soul in this timeline? Because in my world she did. Long before Dean changed things. In fact, Dean changing things is the reason why she's alive now.

Cora: [crosses her arms in front of her chest as she studied him. She doesn't trust him. But that's not really anything new. She also bites her tongue to keep herself from asking about Derek. She then glances to Peter and moves closer, giving him a bit of solidarity if she can. But Ben is right. If they're going to figure this out they need Ben to share what he knows.]

Ben: [if the news about Bela selling her soul was a shock to Ben, there was no reaction to it to his face. Inside, however, he was not liking that] Bela was still alive when I came into the camp, and before you find out later, Michael has a sister as well, Olivia. But things change and it's just the three of us for the last few years, and it's my job to keep them safe. And I take that job very seriously.

Isaac: [checking over Dawn a bit, but listening]

Peter: [looks down at Cora. He has the same questions but isn't going to ask just yet. At least not this one. The other one seemed to be more open with information]

Dawn: And I'm not saying you shouldn't. [she's not. family is important and it's good that Ben is protecting them] Where's Olivia? [if they're together then she should be here too.]

Ben: [licks his lips looking at the ground a moment] Disappeared. We were sleeping, demons game into the camp and took her. About a week ago now. We've been trying to track her ever since. That's why we're here.

Dawn: [nods slowly] Why did they take her? Do you know?

Ben: I have a good idea, but it's not something I say in front of Michael. [he looks out the door a moment to make sure his cousin isn't there, then back at the group] Sam is basically dead.....but not his body. He's been possessed by Lucifer since 2010. Olivia is the second born, which means she's a vessel just like Sam, for Lucifer. And Sam's body is probably wearing out at this point. If that's not it, I don't know what or why. I just know I'm going to get her back.

Dawn: [yeah, Dawn knew that already. And knowing what she knows about her own timeline] Yeah, that could backfire. On them, not us. [because if there's one thing to get Sam to fight back, it's family. Especially if it's his kid]

Isaac: [leans over to Cora] We sure this kid isn't a love child of Derek and Dean?

Ben: [closes his eyes a moment, almost as if he was focusing his hearing on something, and then his hand moved to his hip slowly, pulling out the Colt] We need to move. Now. Grab her and get out behind me. [and into the doorway stumbles the first Croat] Basic lesson, if it bleeds on you, scratches or bites you, I will put you down. Running is your best survival skill right now.

Peter: I'm not arguing with him on this. [goes to grab Dawn since he's the biggest of them]

Dawn: [does not fight Peter, as much as she may like to. She loops her arms around his shoulders and holds on tightly.]

Cora: [moves closer to Ben and Peter, claws out because that's the only way she knows how to fight and she doesn't have a gun.]

Michael: [there is gunfire on the other side of the door. Michael didn't wander far and he's putting down as many as he can]

Isaac: [does the same as Cora]

Ben: [sees them] Are you crazy? You scratch them, they bleed on you, you're done. I said RUN. [and he's shooting the two Croats that came in already with an accuracy that makes it look easy]

Peter: Cora, Isaac, come on. You take point and tell me where to go.

Cora: We're werewolves. What did you expect? [but she'll do as Peter says, turning on her heel and heading out the door.]

Ben: I expect you to be able to run fast and hard. We'll work on the weapons later [two more shots] Michael, book it. Heading out southbound. [and with the doorway clear, he hooks the Colt back into his waist, grabs the med kit and shoves it into his backpack, and then has the automatic out and brings up the rear.]

Isaac: [had gotten a good wiff of what a Croat smelled like and uses it to turn them a few times away from where the smell is stronger]

Cora: [follows his lead, keeping her eyes open and trying to see if there's anything else out there.]

Michael: [flanks the front, keeping pace with Isaac and shooting when indicated, keeping the path clear]

Peter: [keeping to the middle of the pack, holding Dawn close and using his ears to listen for any noises that aren't them]

Ben: [has the rear, also able to keep up easily]

Isaac: [skids to a stop, looking at an old fish market] Here, the scent of salt is strong. It could throw them off if they are tracking from the smell of Dawn's blood.

Cora: [turns and glances around before nodding, leading the way into one of the buildings that was an actual structure] He's right. And this door should hold.

Michael: [looks to Ben for approval]

Ben: [nods, barely winded] Inside, door shut, and stay quiet.

Peter: [No need to tell him twice. He's inside and looking for a place to put Dawn down comfortably]

Michael: [follows, staying just inside the doorway to wait for his cousin while the other two wolves filter in behind him]

Ben: [last one in, closing the door slowly enough to not make a noise and locks it, then rests his back against it a moment, looking Michael over quickly to make sure he isn't hurt] We need to sweep the place and make sure we're the only ones in here.

Isaac: I'll do it.

Ben: [nods and hands him a spare gun from his boot] Only has six rounds. Aim for the head

Cora: [moves closer to Isaac and nods] I'll go with you. [she doesn't want Isaac to go alone and she doesn't want to be here. She trusts Peter to protect Dawn who is fading fast and needs to rest]

Peter: [takes off his jacket and gives it to Dawn to rest her head on] Get some sleep. I'll wake you up if we have to move again.

Ben: [licks his lips] We're going to need to get some food and water. The city isn't really well stocked for scavenging, but there's a few spots we can check. I'll go. Michael, stay here and watch them. If I'm not back by sunset, set up watches. If I'm not back by morning... [firm look]

Michael: [Yeah, he doesn't like that look. But he'll nod in return] Got it.

Dawn: [gives Peter a grateful smile, before curling up on his jacket and closing her eyes. it's not long before she's out cold.]

Ben: [gets up and walks to Peter, handing him the semi-automatic] If I'm not back by morning, follow Michael. He'll get you somewhere safe. [one alpha recognizes the other, and while Ben has no reason to trust any of them, this wasn't about trust. it was survival]

Peter: [ looks at the gun, then takes it] Sure you don't want backup?

Ben: [ smirks and flicks his wrist, an angel blade sliding into his hand from a holster along his arm] No, I'm good.

Michael: [just waits by the door, watching his cousin with Peter. then he nods to him as he goes to leave] Be careful.

Ben: Always am. Maybe I'll get lucky again too and find us some Twinkies. [and he opens the door up a crack and slips out into the city]

Michael: [shuts the door behind them and slumps a bit against the wall. His eyes are still on the window, but the worry in his shoulders is obvious]

Peter: [goes over to stand with the boy] Your cousin isn't like you at all.

Michael: [glances to Peter for a moment, before turning his gaze out to the window again] He says he's not Dean's kid but he is. He just doesn't realize it. He didn't know him enough to see it.

Peter: So you two are filling in the roles of your fathers in this world. That is oddly fitting, yet sad. We're supposed to try and make the future better for our children.

Michael: [he shifts uncomfortably for a moment] I'm not going to turn into my dad. [He knows the reason why his dad said yes. He knows that it was for him, for Olivia. But it still feels weak, that he could stand and fight, even if he said yes.] Why do you care?

Peter: I have a daughter, just a few years younger than you. She doesn't even know I'm her father, and I know what it's like to want to protect a child from seeing the kind of monster you may fear you could become.

Michael: My dad wasn't a monster. Lucifer's the monster, my dad was just trying to protect his family.

Peter: I know your father in my world, and you're right, he isn't one. But that doesn't mean he won't feel like one. But you're right... he did what he had to to protect the people he loved. And he still does that every day. You'd be proud of him.

Michael: [there's a weight that sits on his chest, the more Peter keeps talking, and the fact that it's coming from Peter Hale, someone he was told shouldn't be trusted makes him want to question it, but mostly he just misses his dad.] Why are you telling me this?

Peter: Small talk. [he raises an eyebrow a bit] But you looked uncomfortable when your father's name was brought up. Seeing how your cousin all but hates his own bloodline, I felt you could use a bit of comfort knowing there are others who know how good of a man your father is. His too, if he would even be willing to listen.

Michael: [shakes his head] Dean ... he changed a lot after my dad did what he did. The guy Ben got to know isn't the same guy I grew up with.

Peter: [nods]

Isaac: [comes back] Place is clean. Even found a few water bottles in a filing cabinet.

Cora: [is close behind him, moving to sit next to Dawn]

Michael: [nods a bit, before crossing to the opposite window] That's good. Hopefully Ben will be able to bring back some food.