Nightshift 38: M1- M10 Hallway

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Dean had taken a nap after dinner, figuring that he might as well grab whatever rest he could before he took off trying to find supplies for a full-blown exorcism. His sleep was fitful, the hunter tossing and turning in the bed, eventually settling for sprawling face down in it with his arms flung around his pillow. When he woke up, Angel was gone. Dean rolled over to sit up, jaw set as he rubbed the sleep from one bleary eye, still breathing heavily. Cold Oak. Fucking Cold Oak. That was over and done with, yet he was still having nightmares about the goddamned place, as if enough wasn't enough that all of that was far behind him now. Reaching up, Dean took in a slightly shaking breath, pinching the bridge of his nose as he told himself he wasn't gonna keep waking up in cold sweats feeling Sam's blood all over him, and, if he was, he would deal with it 'cause it was just a bunch of dreams. Wasn't real anymore. He'd saved Sammy.

When he stood up, he was ready to get on with the night. He'd find his little brother, no matter what, even if he had to get his information from that demon Punk-Ass and not by asking nicely.

Dean was even looking forward to it now.

Heading over to the closet, Dean opened it. His clothes hung there in the closet, all perfectly folded, just like it'd been this morning when he'd left it. Feeling under his jeans, his fingers closed around the bowie knife's hilt. Setting the knife aside, Dean began changing, shrugging out of his simple patient clothes and kicking them aside so he could put on his real clothes. The last things to go on were his boots and jacket, the weight of his pendent settling comfortably against his chest. Dean turned his attention to getting ready for the night. Flashlight? Check. Bowie? Check. And something to carry more than a handful of salt...Dean improvised, removing the pillow case from his pillow and balling it up so he could stuff it in his pocket.

Ready as he was ever gonna be. Aside from being bandaged up still, he was good.

Dean consulted the map he'd copied his first day here from the bulletin board. If he was gonna try to get hold of a rosary, it'd most likely be in Patient Possessions - someone here would've had to be a Bible-thumper who believed in God and all that stuff at some point, right? Salt, he figured the kitchen. As for something to deal with Punk-Ass, he figured he'd need some rope (or duct tape, if they didn't have any rope just lyin' around) and something to draw out the Key of Solomon. Not to mention water; kinda hard to make holy water when you had the holy but not the water. First thing was first though; he still had that meeting with that "R" chick - he thought it was a chick - in F-A hall for that spare flashlight.

The hunter turned on his flashlight and opened M2's door, stepping outside.

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[kindalikedit]

Dean grunted. "No, but I'm doin' it anyway. It can't wait."

He took the map from Ron, carefully unfolding it and holding it as tight as he could so he wouldn't fumble and drop it. Surprisingly, some of it was still intact, although half of the first floor had been washed away, and the ink had run on part of the second. Still, some of it was legible enough to read, the hunter squinting at it and aware of Ron watching him without having to look up. It was pretty obvious Ron wanted to do the smart thing but while he might be either taking this really well or know a little something about something, he didn't know that Dean had a short window of opportunity here. That demon wasn't gonna exorcise itself. Checking out what remained of the map, it looked like there was some rooms ear-marked "general storage" and "extra storage", linked to a janitor's closet. It was possible there might be duct tape or something there. Dean folded the map - more like it folded itself, the wet paper not having much more of a shelf-life - and nodded.

"You want to come? Might find something useful up there," Dean said. He really doubted they'd just have some Glocks or extra bowies lying around. He gestured toward the leather jacket again. If he was gonna ask Ron along, he might as well get him armed. "There's a butter knife in the inside pocket."

As he talked, Dean moved back toward where Ron had left the bowie. He had recovered some feeling in his hands, but his dexterity was gonna be just as crappy as his coordination. They'd have to keep quiet and keep moving, otherwise they were gonna attract the attention of anything that might want to finish the job that witch in the rec field hadn't. Dean still felt crappy, weak in the arms and legs and just friggen tired, but he had to do this. Punk-Ass might have answers that could help him deal with Doctor Kisugi and help him find Sam. And, even if he didn't, it was just one more evil sonuvabitch that needed going down.

[timeleaper.livejournal.com]

That determination, it reminded him a little of Dorne before the virus had... well, before, even though Ronixis had only known him for a short time. He'd seemed like a very determined and headstrong young man. "Well in that case, far be it for me to stop you," Ronixis said with a smile. He just wouldn't let Dean go alone. He'd never forgive himself if Dean got mangled or collapsed after Ronixis had let him just walk off in the condition that he was in. It would be intolerable. He peered over the other man's shoulder at the crudely drawn and dog-eared map. Some of it was at least still readable, although most of it seemed to have been damaged by the water, leaving just ink smeared across the paper. Well, as long as Dean had some idea of where to go without needing the map the whole way. He had to wonder how big a building it could be to require maps for people to get around, especially a hand drawn one like this. He had to admit, he was curious to see more of the place, no matter where it was.

"I'll come along, yes," Ronixis replied, glad that Dean had offered rather than Ronixis having to insist on accompanying him. He looked a little confused at the mention of the butter knife though. What was he going to use that for? Still, he went to fetch it anyway, feeling rather bemused at the whole idea. "I admit, I don't tend to use knives as a weapon," he said with a touch of amusement, because a butter knife was not known for being any kind of weapon usually. "But thankyou." If something came, then he was far more comfortable with blasting them with a spell or two. Calling down lightning to rain death upon attackers was rather more effective in his opinion.

[kindalikedit]

Dean flicked a glance at Ron when he didn't stop him, but it didn't look like he was being sarcastic. Shit, he was really beginning to like the guy, and this wasn't just 'cause he'd pretty much saved his life, either. Normal civvies, they always demanded answers like "why", "who're you" and "where'd that gun come from" but Ron? Ron was a good guy. He didn't badger him with stupid questions or insist he absolutely had to come, like he'd be any more a pro at this compared to someone who routinely hunted this crap for a living. As civvies went, he was actually pretty cool. Dean gathered up the things he thought he'd need; flashlight, bowie knife, the soaked map, taking extra care to handle them all because of his crap state. He looked up when Ron admitted he didn't use knives.

"Knives are real simple. Sharp end goes in whatever you're stabbing...not that it's even got one, but you get the picture," he said, but grinned - it was tired, but still an honest grin - to show he wasn't totally dicking around with Ron. "Can't imagine it's got as much of a point as the bowie, but you stab it hard enough and you could probably make whatever's out there think twice - go for the soft spots like the eyes if we get attacked and then let me handle it. But if everything goes well, you won't even have to use it."

It was a pretty shitty weapon, sizing it up. But it was either that or tell him to use the flashlight and while the torches here had some bulk, you didn't want to go wasting it braining someone - or something - unless you had no other options at all and risking your light was the least of your problems at that point. Dean didn't think he'd be able to hold his own very long, but if they kept quiet and moved quickly, hopefully that shouldn't be a problem. If something did come up, they'd have to tag team. Dean wasn't much used to tag-teams, not unless you counted all the hunts with Dad and Sammy - the few times he'd teamed up with other hunters, it'd been just a job at best and Gordon Walker at the worst. Bobby was pretty much the only other hunter he could trust not to go stabbing him in the back or gunning for Sam. Dean still didn't know if Ron had any training at all, but he'd just have to assume he didn't - what he did have was just as valuable, though, because keeping a cool head and taking it in a stride like a badass was just as important as knowing how to break down a crossbow or where, exactly, you had to aim when you wanted to decapitate a vampire.

[timeleaper.livejournal.com]

The knife had a bit of a point at least, Ronixis was pleased to note, which was better than nothing, even if he doubted it would be the most effective of weapons. "So I gather," Ronixis replied with a grin in response to 'Stabbing Things 101'. "I have a friend who's a swordsman," he added after a moment. Well, two really. Ratix and Cyuss were both very impressive to witness on the field. They were dangerous men and Ronixis was proud to call them both friends. "I'm more of a bowman myself," he continued as he slipped the knife into his pocket and reached for the flashlight which he'd left on top of the desk earlier. "Crossbow, longbow. Anything really." He'd gone from it being a hobby to something essential for survival. Sometimes there just wasn't enough time to recite a spell in the midst of battle. "But I'm sure that I'll get the hang of it," he added with a grin.

"Do you need a hand up?" he asked, still concerned about Dean's health. Offering a hand up wasn't too pushy was it? People did it all the time, even when they hadn't been half dead from hypothermia half an hour ago.

[kindalikedit]

The man even know how to handle a crossbow.

Dean was in (not gay) love.

He'd been trying not to be impressed with Ron but seriously, he knew how to handle a crossbow, knew when to take no for an answer, and he hadn't freaked out helping him earlier. Why weren't all civvies this awesome? Sure he'd probably be out of a job, but man, all those times a civvie got hysterical or did something stupid or was just a general pain in the ass? Could've probably been halved if people got it through their heads that wigging out just made things worse, not better. The corner of Dean's mouth twitched, as if he was trying not to smile, and he just grunted. Technically all Ron said was he knew how to use one - proving he could was another thing entirely.

Dean waved away the offer of help. "I'm cool right now. Think I'm hittin' my second wind. But if I start feeling really crappy, I'll tell you, okay?"

It was a lot more than he'd give to a civilian normally. First of all, he knew and Ron knew Dean wasn't in great shape right now and second, so far he was liking Ron, and he knew if he might need help, Ron could probably handle that much. He'd already handled him when he was half-conscious. Dean thought he could walk but even that seemed more like a question in his mind than just being sure. With how his legs and whole body felt like Jello, he might actually have to take up that offer, he realized as he went to the door and opened it, stepping over the salt line. With all the layers, he felt like he was living in the Arctic or something, but it was either that or just rest up in the room. He could recover after he had Punk-Ass in that devil's trap.

"There's some stairs out in the Main Hall," he said over his shoulder as he stepped into the darkness. Dean had to brace himself with the wall as he waited for Ron to join him. Once his new "partner" was ready, Dean led the way down the dark halls, trying to at least make it to the Main Hall without having to go asking if that offer for help was still good.

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[Sorry, had to mod Ronixis as joining him/following since I totally just remembered I was going to link them out]