Title: Sÿn

Rated for: Each chapter will have its own rating. This one is T

Fandom/Universe: Supernatural / Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Characters: John Winchester, Pastor Jim, Bobby Singer, Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Castiel

Pairings: Dean/OC

Spoilers/Warning: ?

Disclaimer: Supernatural and all related characters are copyright Eric Kripke, Kripke Enterprises & The CW Network. Buffy The Vampire Slayer and all related characters are copyright Joss Whedon. No infringement intended.

Summary: Sunnydale sunk, The Scoobies went off to gather all activated Potentials... they missed one. John thought he was saving her...

Status: In-Progress

Author's Note: Yes, there are likely many errors in this chapter. Please feel free to point them out. I'll re-post later but for now, this is how I keep from losing all the words I've managed to get down =)

As for 'I'm The Slayer' comment, Syn doesnt know anything about the spell and being activated. She just thinks the current Slayer died... Relax, everything will be explained later on- not sure what chapter that is...

Chapter: Shelter Me Part II

Shelter Me

II

S

"Folks work so hard at keepin' the Lord out, and look what happens in return."

She tried not to show him fear but she was alone with him in the dark.

"He abandons you."

Sÿndra flinched. His voice so close to her ear she couldn't hold back a gasp. Everything began to glow, a soft light slowly rising in the distance. She doesn't recognize where they are; it's a field covered in blood with an altar draped in white, eerily clean and he's standing in front of it with the sun at his back so she still can't see his face.

"Curiosity. Woman's first sin."

She can hear the smile in his voice and she stops trying to see his face.

"You're angry…afraid… You really should relax. Look at where you are." the grass shifts like there's a breeze and Sÿn looks to find the dead Potential's; girls broken, chests gaping wide with a hole crusted in blood and flesh, bits of them still clinging to their clothes… and then he's standing beside her.

"I'll see you soon, little lady." His breath fans her cheek, her skin tingling with gooseflesh and a shiver trailing down her spine.

Sÿndra wakes gripping at the coverlet. Her eyes dart around the room but she doesn't recognize anything and panics. Her side hurts as she sits up and there's a bandage around her stomach. She listens but can't focus and moves to the window with haste. There's a nightstand in the way and the lamp gets knocked over and she breaks the sill trying to get out of there. Sÿn hears them approach and bites back the pained yelp as she sort of climbs out.

John opens the door and curses because the noises that have drawn them upstairs are exactly what they'd thought.

"She'll open her wound again." Pastor Jim tells John who walks into the room and grabs her shirt, wrapping an arm around her waist. This time Sÿndra does yelp because his arm presses down on her wound and John gets her back inside the room.

"What the hell are you thinking?" John stands in front of the window and Sÿndra sits on the bed just breathing. She hurts too much to fight them both right then. She can figure this out, just has to stop seeing fuzzy edges.

"Are you hurt-?" Pastor Jim stops in his tracks when she jumps to her feet at his approach.

"I'll live." Sÿndra snaps and is closer to John when Pastor Jim moves further into the room. It doesn't escape John either, how the girl avoids the preacher. He's guessing she considers him the lesser of two evils.

"Pastor Jim isn't going to hurt you." John grumbles to her. "He cleaned and wrapped your wound."

Sÿndra frowns at Pastor Jim. He's standing with his hands held out, a show of innocence she's not sure of believing let alone trusting. He's got the black shirt and the patch of white at his throat-

"We want to help you."

Sÿndra stays quiet, is she going to believe them? She's just been warned by Caleb but Pastor Jim doesn't give off the same vibe, so maybe they aren't the same…? But then, she's seeing pairs and her legs feel weak- she's thinking the lack of food and sleep are wreaking havoc with her Slayer healing.

"Why are you running?" John gently places his hand on her arm- she's way bony-. "What where those … things?" he sits her on the bed again and she frowns slightly, eyes on John's boots. They're well worn, somewhere between black and brown or maybe gray. She slides her foot closer to his and the tip of her boots match his except for the dirt and mud caked in the crease.

"…His boys..." Does she remember Caleb saying that to her or was it a dead Potential, their voices whispering -?

"Who's boys?" John's tone is rough and he mentally reminds himself this isn't a hunt. Not yet.

Sÿndra looks around the room; a pale blue with sparse furniture and focuses on them. The hunter and the preacher…

"They're Bringers." She's too tired to fight them anymore and John notices the tone; acceptance of her situation and that doesn't sit well with him. Pastor Jim is right, she's so young… no need to be so tired or give up but he wonders if she really has or if she's finally allowing herself to rest for a bit.

"Uhm," and here, Pastor Jim knows he's going to sound ridiculous but: "What do they bring?"

John gives Pastor Jim the slightly frowning look which he ignores, already a little embarrassed to have voiced his question. Sÿndra utters a humorless chuckle, smoky eyes looking from Pastor Jim to John. "Death."

It's such a simple statement and yet in the silence following it both men feel a slight chill ghost over their skin. It's not natural- her reaction… Sÿndra sits between them; her seemingly calm acceptance of the fact unnerves them.

"Why you?" John finally questions because they've tried to kill her. She's quiet so long that John thinks she won't tell them. He can't understand what she's looking for, her expression completely blank as she stares from him to Pastor Jim and back.

Her voice is softer still, as though she fears the reaction they'll have. "I'm The Slayer."

S

They've run as far as they can. Both guys have done everything they can and it's not enough. She knows what's coming and that scares her; death.

"Get to the street." Levy shoves her to the fire escape. It's their only way outside. Sÿndra hesitates only because she's afraid they'll stay behind. "Go!" he grabs her arm and forcibly moves her to the window he smashes open with the butt of his rifle. They've armed themselves like the soldiers they are.

"Please-."

"We're right behind you." Levy promises. He's come to her rescue more than once.

Sÿndra slips out the window. She's careful with the glass, keeping an eye on the street and alley for more of the robed psychos. The sounds of gunfire above her head startle her, her heart pounding so loud it's getting difficult to breathe as well.

Sÿndra can't explain it to them; the reason for this. She's not part of that world, never really was but they've come for her.

"Hurry up!" the ladder shudders with their weight, echoing with each boot. Sÿndra reaches the last platform and slides down the released ladder. She's in the alley when the first one comes out of the darkness, materializing from shadows. The gun in her hand still feels a little strange but her aim is perfect; one, two, three… the bodies are replaced by more.

"Move!" Valen takes them down, Levy dragging Sÿndra further into the alley when they're blocked off by five more.

Sÿndra fights them off, too close for the rifle.

The three stand back to back, cut off from the street…

'There's no way out of this one.'

S

Pastor Jim is curious. Sÿndra can tell neither man believes her.

"That's only a story." John looks to Pastor Jim who's responsible for the fable he's heard.

"I'm sitting right here." Sÿndra quips. She lacks sarcasm; her tone just a tired, cheerless note. "You saw me with the Muhka." She tells John. "How easily I pulled you up the ladder…" because he definitely looked at her weird and John certainly had questions but she had been in his truck twice already without any signs…

"A Slayer…" Pastor Jim is curious. All he knows about Slayer's comes from an old hunter. It had sounded like a fairy-tale, an urban legend of sorts with no proof of its veracity.

"The." Sÿndra watches him, wondering why his curiosity isn't more worrisome. He doesn't seem to want her dead, at least not yet.

John has that 'huh?' look.

"There's only one Slayer at a time." Sÿndra says.

"Yes," Pastor Jim agrees. "That part is…true-."

"You're gonna buy this load of bull?" John is glaring at them both.

"You said her wound was fresh but it looked at least a day old." Pastor Jim points out. "She had no trouble tossing you over her shoulder and the hunt-."

John scowls, disliking any mention of that fact. "You said the Slayer was born of a demon."

At that, Sÿndra's posture changes. No longer calmly able to sit in place, she's poised for an attack if that's where they take it. She's not going to let two Hunters kill her when she's avoided the Bringers this long.

"From what I learned…" Pastor Jim's eyes shift towards Sÿndra where she sits- Slayer lore, if she truly is the Slayer, would be her forte. "Do you know…?"

"About the first Slayer?" the smoky eyes shift towards John, assessing him. "They took a young girl…" her voice is soft, almost hesitant to tell them. "…forced the demon…into her." She's uncomfortable and they notice. That first girl…raped by demons because those old men couldn't bother to find another way. "They wanted a protector. Someone to fight evil. They got her. The first." She sighs, her eyes straying to Pastor Jim. "And she was killed." He's not the threat she first thought and her eyes rest on John. "The same as all of us. All the ones before me… and the ones who'll come after I die."

"There's a demon in you?" John automatically shifts his stance, questioning how it's possible they didn't notice.

"NO. John, she's not possessed." Pastor Jim is quick to assure him of that lest there's another fight. "It's not that kind of...power." he lacks sufficient knowledge of Slayer lore to begin explaining this to John so he'll understand. He gets it now, why Sÿndra didn't want him near her.

"She just said-."

"You can try your exorcism." Sÿndra offers, her tone just a tad harsh. "Douse me with holy water or whatever." It wouldn't be the first time either. She stands up, looking at them both. "I am not going to die here." Her eyes shift to John who still hasn't relaxed his stance. "You won't get the chance."

John doesn't miss the fire in her eyes, that spark of quick-silver in the smoky depths or the challenge in her tone. She's willing to fight again and he wonders if maybe she was faking her injuries just a little more.

"You're safe here… Sÿndra, is it?" Pastor Jim waits but she doesn't answer him.

"I have to go." Sÿndra moves towards the door, one step before John is blocking the way. "Now."

"You're still hurt." Pastor Jim cautions moving around John so they're both blocking her way out. "It's dark-."

"If I stay you will die." Sÿndra figures it's enough to get them to back off. Who would put themselves in danger for a stranger? "The Bringers will find me. They always do. You aren't safe."

"You know what we are." John hasn't lost his scowl. He's stuck on the fact there's a demon in the girl yet Jim is telling him she isn't possessed and she's proven that. "Hunters. … That's why you ran off so quick." Her lack of answer is more than enough and John knows he's right.

"You saw how many came after me." She doesn't need help. She tells herself that all the time because she can't afford to get another person killed trying to help her. Hunters or not… "There will be more. You don't have enough bullets for them all…thanks anyway."

John wonders if anyone has ever helped her. She looks sad … and grateful at the same time. "You won't get far on foot." He moves aside, motioning her to go through.

Jim catches on and moves ahead of them. "You should both eat."

The invitation catches her off guard. She's not sure what to make of it; they head down the hallway and down the stairs where Sÿndra follows them into the kitchen while her eyes stray to the door and her exit.

She's uncomfortably quiet but hungry so she waits as Pastor Jim sets a small plate in front of her and moves off to pack some food for them.

"We'll head to Bobby's."John ignores the 'look'. Jim is well aware of Bobby's threat of buckshot but he'll stay out of it. He catches Sÿndra eating and feels pleased by the small act.

"I'll fill him in." Jim assures. "Between us, we'll find something." And he'll figure out a truce between the two hunters before Bobby does fill John with buckshot.

Sÿndra looks between them trying hard not to get her hopes up, that this nightmare she's been living could be over… "You really don't have to help me." They look at her. "You don't know anything about me." She isn't willing to share anything about herself with them. Not her past or her name- that's enough they'll figure it out… would they blame her too?

"I'm between hunts." John grouses. He takes the food and starts for the door.

"He's all bark." Pastor Jim smiles, trying to sound reassuring in the face of John's grumpy mood.

"No." Sÿndra takes the last bite on her plate before she follows John's retreating back. "He's not."

Pastor Jim walks them through the living room to the door. He watches them leave, neither speaking and wonders if Sÿndra can naturally read people or if that's a Slayer thing. There's a lot he should remember but there were few conversations with the old hunter Jim now thinks maybe had more to do with the Slayer than he'd let on. Pastor Jim closes the door checking his wards and heads back to his kitchen to clean up. He hopes that accepting his food means she doesn't think he's going to kill her anymore… All she needs is rest.

S

The house is too quiet. Her Father's loud snores usually vibrate through the walls… she doesn't hear it.

The floor board in the hallway creaks and the shadow at the door sends a chill down her spine. It's a childish reaction-grabbing the covers and huddling under them with just her eyes peeking out.

'Stupid scary movies. That's the last time I watch any of them.'

Which is ridiculous considering the last ten years of her life has been spent learning about every scary thing in the world.

The door opens and that dark shadow slinks its way into the bedroom she's sharing with her sisters and cousin. An un-expected family reunion…

The knife glints with the moonlight coming through the crack in the curtain. She's frozen, disbelief at what she knows is going to happen but can't believe is happening.

"No!"

She sits up-.

S

John tries an exorcism- he's no fool. But she's fine. She gives no sign the words bother her so John checks his wards, the talismans in his truck, to make sure they're intact and they are. He scowls, thinks about what little he remembers of the fable Jim told him a few years back. It isn't much.

He drives through the night, the sun burning through the gray dawn when Sÿndra stirs again. Her fitful sleep has been disturbed at intervals; mumbling in her sleep, unintelligible words. She wakes ready to fight; her left hand blocking and her right in a fist.

"Another one?"

She's embarrassed.

"Same difference." Sÿndra wipes her face tiredly. "Everyone is dead." She shrugs, eyes focused on the graying morning. She tires to put it out of her mind but it isn't easy. She tried to fit in, to be the girl her Mother expected but Sÿndra couldn't ignore the darkness around them. She'd saved that girl from being a vampires dinner and all it got her was a stay in a sanitarium…

"You were afraid of Jim." John glances at her. "Did you recognize him?"

Sÿndra shakes her head. "Not…him, no. It's …" she drags in a breath, her eyes on the road and a frown marring her features. "I can't…see his face…he's always in my dreams… he sent them, the Bringers. He- he says…says we're born dirty-without a soul… says he's going to purify us." Her eyes burn but she's not going to shed any tears. She's alive and that means she can still fight.

"Purify you for what? Why?" John feels it; he's uncomfortable with the soft, husky tone of her voice. Just the feel of her words…he can't explain it.

"Don't know." Sÿndra keeps her eyes on the road. "He's killed a lot of Potential's. I … I think he's trying to wipe out the line." It's not a certainty, not like there's anyone to ask because there's no one left. No answer, no replies, no contact at all.

But that feels right.

'Maybe I'm the last…'

"Line?"

His question brings her back and she sits up. Her side twinges, a barely there sting from the healing wound.

"Potential's. Girls who could be Called … to be the Slayer when I die."

And there's that damn, calm acceptance of death. It bothers John; that she's too young for this … So were his boys. So is Dean and yet John raised them into this life of blood and death.

What's the difference?

Is there one?

She looks at him and her voice is soft when she speaks. "I don't-. You can drop me here. I'll be fine on my own." Because Sÿndra doesn't want them to get hurt and yet she feels hopeful again- she wants to let them handle her problem… she doesn't want to be alone anymore but she's afraid they'll die, like Levy and Valen … for her- because of her.

"I should." John grumbles with his eyes on the road. He's been thinking about her, what he's seen and what he knows. What he feels is different because his only concern has been finding the thing that killed his wife, protecting Sam from this demon… His boy has always had Dean looking out for him, taking care of him. John isn't blind; he knows Dean has had a bigger effect on who Sam has grown into. John always left it to Dean, put the responsibility on his young shoulders and anytime something went wrong … but it was John who should've been there. It was John who should've been present each time they came for Sam… But Dean took those 'close calls' as his own failure to protect his little brother.

John was responsible for that.

….Who was there for Sÿndra? This girl- she could be the same age as Sam, younger maybe and she calmly spoke of death. She ran from it, fought against dying, raging against the dark – she's alone.

"But we're going to Bobby's." John wants to look at her, try and get a glimpse of what she's thinking. He keeps his eyes on the road. "We're gonna find something…" he just doesn't know how long that's going to take them. Or if Sÿndra will stick around long enough to find out.

S