Room 328, Friday Evening

[likethegun]

Sam had to admit, he was grateful that Zoe had wanted to take Grace to the ball, because it meant he didn't have to try to lie to her and his dad about Dean again, or about his hand. For the moment, he was sprawled out on his bed, hiding in his room and trying to read, but he couldn't stop himself from picking at the bandage he'd put on, and the supposedly mild painkillers he'd taken were stronger than he'd expected, making the words a little blurry.

Stupid Umbridge. He should have let Dean loose on her.

[For the girlfriend!]

Comments

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Hey," Dawn greeted him, throwing her things on the bed and heading into the bathroom for a wet washcloth to slap on her neck, "It's still nine bazillion degrees out."

[likethegun]

Sam smiled softly at Dawn when she came in, and marked the page he was on in his book. "The summer weather here sucks. I don't remember it being this bad last year."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Me either," Dawn remarked, coming out wearing the washcloth and plopping down on the bed next to Sam. "I may have to take a cold shower later, for completely non-fun reasons. What's up?"

[likethegun]

"Not much," he said, shrugging. "I'm just being boring and staying in and reading."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Anything good?" She asked, automatically reaching for the book.

[likethegun]

"It's a pretty decent mystery novel," he said. When Dawn grabbed the book, it brushed against his hand, and he winced before he could stop himself.

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Who did..." she caught the wince and eyed him. "What?"

[likethegun]

"Nothing," he said quickly, because he was a very stubborn boy. "If you want, you can borrow the book, because I've got others to read."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"We've moved on," Unfortunately for Sam, Dawn was a very stubborn girl. "Why did you make an ouch face?"

[likethegun]

Sam sighed. "Because my hand hurts," he admitted. "Umbridge...she's insane. And more sadistic than I realized."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

Her jaw firmed. Dean, Luke, and now Sam? Bitch was going down, Sunnydale style, if she had anything to say about it. Hopefully, for once Sunnydale style wouldn't involve coming back from the dead. "Let me see. And sadistic?" Sam wouldn't throw that word around without reason. "What did she do?"

[likethegun]

Sam put his hand down on the bed and pulled the bandage back, showing Dawn the cuts. "She had this quill," he said, "and everything I wrote with it ended up on my hand. When I figured it out, I stopped, and I refused to write any more, but she...I don't know, she made me somehow."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Against your will???" Dawn stared at Sam, then took his hand. "Do you hurt? What can I do?"

[likethegun]

"It's okay, I took some painkillers," he said, letting her take his hand nonetheless. "I don't know what Umbridge did exactly, but she pointed her wand at me, and I couldn't move my hands except to write, and she didn't undo it until I was done. Why the hell would she do that?" he asked, letting the anger he'd been bottling all day start to come out. "I mean, what kind of person gets pleasure out of doing that sort of thing?"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"A nasty evil person who's on a power trip and too full of herself to ever need to eat again," Dawn answered immediately, trying to keep herself calm. She was largely unsuccessful at it. "We need to make her go, Sam. If she's enjoying this after a week, it's only going to get worse. That's how evil works."

Which she belatedly realized she didn't need to explain to Sam.

[likethegun]

Sam didn't need the explanation, but it was comforting to know that he and Dawn were on the same page. "You're right. We have to get rid of her, before she starts doing this to other people, or worse."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"She's done this--and worse--to other people," she said, thinking of Luke. "I have a list."

[likethegun]

"She has?" Sam asked, sounding horrified. "And here I thought I was the only one she wanted to pick on for some reason. Who else?"

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Why would she want to pick on you?" Dawn asked, then started ticking names off, "Luke, for starters. Dean. You. Honestly? I think everyone she's called into her off--"

She broke off as she realized something. "Rikku too, probably. Luke said no killing, but I'm really beginning to wonder. Are you sure you're okay?"

[likethegun]

"Yeah, I'm okay," he said quietly. "I just...I should have been able to stop her, you know? There has to be something different I could have done, or I could have been stronger somehow."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Oh, Sam," Dawn reached over to hug him tightly. "Whatever that flaming hosebeast did to you isn't your fault."

[likethegun]

Sam gladly let himself lean into Dawn and be hugged. "I know. I really do know, I just...I know killing isn't an option, but can we set her on fire or something? Because I might be able to look past my 'don't hurt humans' rule in this instance, and I don't want her to mess with anybody else, especially if she's going to make people do things."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"Luke wouldn't let me kill her, but I haven't talked to Rikku yet. Maybe we just won't tell him?" Dawn wasn't letting go yet. Sam obviously needed comforting. "I'm good with fire, by the way. Also tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and blizzards."

[likethegun]

Sam smiled softly, but didn't make any movement that might be seen as pulling away. "I don't know if we can make any of those things on command, but I'm willing to try."

[lilpunkinbelly.livejournal.com]

"What will make her leave?" Dawn had moved from comforting to snuggling without changing position. "What would drive her so out of her mind that she'd go, instead of getting revenge?"