milliways_bar | (no subject)

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As soon as the shower had started running in the motel's bathroom, Sam had seized his chance. He yelled something indistinct about lunch, grabbed his laptop and messenger bag, and headed straight for Milliways without waiting for Dean to answer.

Now he's sitting at a booth, the laptop open in front of him, staring at something on the screen.

(From time to time he stares at a note, instead.)

Either way, it doesn't look like he's making much progress.

[ooc: open until it scrolls, with a break at 9 MT for tonight's episode of Supernatural.]

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"I know about it, yeah." Sam gives her a thin smile. "After all, I was there."

Beat.

"The question is, how come you do?"

"I'm a good hunter."

Y'know, in the loose definition of the word 'hunter'. But it's all she's going to say on that matter.

She picks up another fry, gives it a good swirl in ketchup, then takes another bite.

"So. Old Yellow Eyes had some pretty big plans for you, didn't he?"

"Doesn't matter," he points out, without missing a beat.

"Seeing as how had's the operative word there."

She waves a hand.

"Oh - yeah. That's right. 'Ding dong, the demon's dead' and all. Good job with that, by the way."

The remark is so matter-of-fact, it's hard to tell whether Ruby really gives a crap about Azazel's untimely demise.

"It doesn't change the fact that you're special," she says knowingly. And now she's looking a little more directly at him. "You know, in that Anthony Michael Hall ESP visions kinda way."

Sam shakes his head.

"It does, though. Because I'm not. That stuff's not happening any more."

"No?"

She feigns a surprised look. It's actually pretty convincing.

"Either way," she says with a shrug, "I'm thinking you're still a pretty big deal. I mean ... after all that business with your mom?"

"My mom?"

He sounds like a damn parrot or a skipping CD, he knows, but he can't help it. He's off balance, and frankly feels as though he has been throughout this entire conversation.

"What about my mom?"

Well, that's to be expected.

Besides, it's kind of cute in a dumb, innocent puppy kind of way.

"You know -" And here's the important part. "- what happened to all her friends?"

Sam just stares at her.

Oh, and her look now is sympathetic.

"You - don't know." An exhale. "It seems you've got a little bit of catching up to do, my friend. You should look into your mom's pals."

"Wait. Wait."

He shakes his head as if trying to clear it, and stares at her again.

(He has no idea how it makes him look a little lost.)

"I don't get it. How do you know anything about my mom? Who are you?"

His stare is met with hers.

She leans back, arms crossed over her chest.

"I already told you," she reminds him. "I'm -"

"--a good hunter, yeah, right, I got that part," he interrupts.

"It still doesn't explain it."

She shrugs.

"It's not important, Sam."

"It is to me," Sam retorts.

She sits still for a moment, silent.

Almost ... thoughtful.

"What does it matter?"

"It just matters, okay?" He shoves his hand through his hair in a frustrated gesture, then lets it drop.

"You're talking like you know all about me, and I don't even know your name!"

Resigned, she gives him a glare.

Fine, then.

He asked for it.

When she closes her eyes and opens them again, they're ink-black.

"The name's Ruby."

His eyes go wide with shock, but even as it happens he's already moving.

Sam's out of his seat and backing up, reaching behind his back for a weapon as he does.

On the other hand, Ruby doesn't budge an inch.

"Might want to think twice before going for that weapon," she says.

Given their location, she's got a point, even if he'd rather bite his own tongue off than admit it.

Sam stays where he is, keeping his hand behind his back and giving her a hard, sharp look, but he stops moving.

"You're a demon."

"Well, thank you for that, Captain Obvious."

She blinks again, and her eyes go back to their normal greeny-blue.

(She thinks he gets the point with all the fanfare.)

"That's right. I'm a demon. But it doesn't change anything."

"Doesn't it?"

He edges closer, reaching for his laptop.

"Stay there. Finish your fries, or whatever. Just leave me alone, okay?"

Even as he says it, he knows he's gonna go look into what she'd hinted about their mom and her friends. Just in case there's something he needs to know.

Curiosity's a powerful thing.

"No. It doesn't."

She rolls her eyes, but she sits up a little straighter.

This is serious, now.

"Don't be such a racist, Sam. Not all demons are the same. Not all of us want the same thing. I want to help you. And if you let me, there's something in it for you. Something I'm pretty sure you'll want to know."

Don't ask, he tells himself. Don't ask. Whatever it is, it's got to be a trick. Don't ask--

He meets her no-longer-black eyes without flinching.

"Yeah? What's that?"