(no subject)

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

Thanks to the organic uniform provided by Stacy, Sam was clean and free from the sticky goop that he and Murphy had fallen in while exploring the secret room in the clock house.  Now, clean and dry once again, he meandered down the streets of the city, studying all the massive structures that he'd only given a fleeting glance before.  He stopped in front of St. Peter's Basilica, the very same cathedral that Connor and Murphy had been coming out of when he ran into them.  Glancing downward, at the cargo pocket on his thigh, he pulled out his father's journal and took out the rosary that they used as bookmark--among other things--and a small silver flask.

Turning his eyes back to the building in front of him, he started up the steps and disappeared inside.  Several minutes passed, minutes spent over the basin of holy water, blessing it for a second time, and filling his flask with it.  Giving a satisfied nod, he tucked both items back into his pocket and stepped back out into the city.

Comments

[notyourmudfoot.livejournal.com]

"You actually believe that stuff?" Harper was what one might call a connoisseur of old Earth memorabilia and knowledge. He wasn't going to pass up a chance to examine something so obviously of Earth origin, no matter what he thought of it personally. He didn't expect someone to wander out of one of them. Especially not someone who had seem so sensible, even if he had shot Rommie.

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

Glancing upward, Sam saw his 'old friend' Harper standing in front of him, looking rather surprised at him. "Yeah, actually, I do," Sam answered, continuing down the steps until he reached Harper. "That 'stuff' has saved my life on more than one occasion. So, yeah, I believe it."

[notyourmudfoot.livejournal.com]

Harper glanced back and forth between Sam and the doors of the church, obviously more than skeptical. "Saved your life. Right. What, were you cornered by rabid Wayists or something?"

....Which made him think of Rev, which made him think of rabid Magog, and... maybe that wasn't the best comparison, considering the events of the last few months.

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

"No," Sam answered very matter-of-factly. "Demons, actually." He then leaned forward as if he were trying to scare Harper a little bit. "Mean ones. With big black eyes and sulfur in their blood. The kind that slice people up for sport."

[notyourmudfoot.livejournal.com]

Trying or not, it worked. Not that it really took much to intimidate Harper, generally speaking. He leaned away from Sam, then snorted, equal parts mocking and unsettled. "Yeah, well, the Magog come for us here, you can keep your santuary. I'll stick with this."

He dropped his hand onto his gun. Not that it had helped much the last time, but hey, what were the chances they'd run into the Worldship here?

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

The corner of Sam's mouth turned upward into a half smile. He nodded. "I'll keep that in mind," he said. Then, after glancing around at the rest of the city, he changed the subject. "So what are you doin' down here anyway?" he asked.

[notyourmudfoot.livejournal.com]

"Looking around. Trying to forget where we are." Trying to forget when he'd come from was also high on the list.

"What about you? Other than 'conferring with the Divine'?" Harper's tone, suddenly gravely on the last words, was both sarcastic and seemed to be imitating someone. Rev would probably like the place.

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't praying," Sam corrected, pulling out the silver flask from his pocket and holding it up for Harper to see. "I was stealing Holy water. I thought it'd be a good idea to be prepared for whatever this 'Stacy' decides to throw at us. So I'm checkin' the place out."

[notyourmudfoot.livejournal.com]

Harper raised his eyebrows. "Water? Planning on meeting the Wicked Witch of the West in here somewhere?"

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

Sam leveled his gaze on Harper. "We're flying around in a giant intestine in space. And you think havin' some Holy water on hand is weird?" Shaking his head, Sam started walking down the street. "Maybe you're right," he called back, "but look at it this way, if Stacy decides to just strand us in the middle of a desert, I can always drink it."

[notyourmudfoot.livejournal.com]

Harper fell into step beside Sam easily enough. What? Not like he had anything better to do. "Hey, I've seen weirder. Trust me. None of it was afraid of water."

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

"Well, there's always a first time," Sam answered. His head moved steadily from side to side as he scanned the city, looking over each building with an intent expression on his face. It was like he was searching for something, but what, exactly?

[notyourmudfoot.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, and then you get your face gnawed off. Think I like my way better." Harper knew what he was looking for. Anything he could muck with. Simple man, simple goals.

[thexanwhosees.livejournal.com]

Xander had a flask with him as well in amidst his other items. So he was about to head into the church with the same intentions when he caught somebody at the basin with the same idea in the doorway.

"Can't be too careful, right?"

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

Sam glanced up, midway through filling his flask, before looking back down at the basin of water--which somehow managed to replenish itself--and pulling the silver container out, screwing the lid back on. "Not around here, no," he finally answered. "But something tells me you and I are the only ones who know that," he added.

[thexanwhosees.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," Xander shrugged and stepped forward to fill his own flask. Still easy to do even with only one eye to sight it.

"Most people aren't lucky enough to have a Hellmouth under their hometown too," he remarked with a touch of bitterness to the sarcasm.

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

"No, probably not," Sam replied with a slight chuckle. "But...then again...neither was I," he added, grabbing a nearby cloth to wipe down his flask before putting it back in his pocket.

[thexanwhosees.livejournal.com]

Xander quick wiped his down after capping it, and unceremoniously placed it in his pocket. He believed in the stuff in that it worked really well on vampires and some demons, but not enough to be attending any kind of services on a regular basis.

"Lucky, place was a magnet so it was demon central 24/7. I think even the cops had to get tired of calling the vamps gangs on PCP after a while."

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

Sam's face became very serious as he stared at Xander for several seconds, his jaw flexing. "I wouldn't exactly call myself 'lucky,'" he snapped, turning quickly and heading for the door.

[thexanwhosees.livejournal.com]

Xander grimaced. Great. Stuck his foot in it this time.

He followed him out, "Ok, sorry, only lucky in that you didn't have the end of the world happen every six months? Or was that more for you too?"

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

"I guess that depends on how you define 'end of the world,'" Sam answered, his stride unbroken as he continued on his way toward the door. Suddenly, he stopped just short of the door and turned to face Xander. "Let's just say," he paused, seemingly taking a moment to reflect. "There's not much left of my 'world' that hasn't been destroyed."

[thexanwhosees.livejournal.com]

"I mean end of the human race, and it's partyworld for the demons, vampires and everything else ugly and evil. That kind of end of the world. My hometown's now at the bottom of a crater, but rest of the world's been holding up."

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

"Good for the rest of the world," Sam said with a rather pessimistic tone. He turned to step back 'outside' but paused and looked back at Xander with an apologetic expression. "Sorry. It's just...I'm tired of losin' my friends and family just so the rest of the world can live happy and ignorant to what's really goin' on."

[thexanwhosees.livejournal.com]

Xander sighed, and the good natured expression dropped. He seemed a lot older and tired all of the sudden.

"...Yeah, you and me both." Cordelia, Anya, Renee... All those Slayers in the final battle of Sunnydale. The ones they're still losing. Ms. Calender, Ms. Summers, Tara, the causalities from the battle at Sunnydale High... It was a growing long list.

[thenameissam.livejournal.com]

Sam was quiet for a moment then nodded and, finally, stepped 'outside.' He continued into the square, heading for the gate, in silence. "I'm just gettin' tired of this place," he admitted. "Stacy with her cryptic, vague answers. Stumbling onto secret rooms every time I turn a corner. It's all startin' to get old, fast."