The Preserves, Friday night

[blessed_twice]

After Chris and Piper told Wyatt what had happened at Serenity Cove, they'd broken out the Book of Shadows to see what they could find. They'd found an entry about Barbas, the Demon of Fear. "The Demon of Fear appears once every thirteen hundred years on Friday the 13th. He feeds on the fears of young witches for his survival." Piper had recognized the page as being in her mother's handwriting. There was also a notation of a vanquish potion that Piper identified as being in Paige's handwriting, though she was certain the potion didn't exist in her younger copy of the Book of Shadows. Fortunately, the ingredients were relatively easy to find.

Wyatt tracked down Tannim and asked his roommate if anything weird had happened to him that day, and when Tannim reported he hadn't, they realized he might be a target. Which also meant he could be used as bait. With Hunting 101's lessons of remembering to have backup fresh in his mind, Wyatt decided to call in reinforcements, just in case: Sam and Dean.

So now, hidden by a makeshift cloaking spell to hide them from Barbas, the Halliwells and Winchesters hid themselves in a cabin, while Tannim pretended to be taking a walk through the Preserves, hoping to lure Barbas out in the open.

[Locked to neurotic_witch, sonofdragons, psychic_wonder and saltandammo, and cookinggeek as the scenery chewing villain.]

Comments

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

Tannim had his headphones on and was pretending to listen to his CD player as he strolled through the preserves. Nothing was playing, though - he didn't want to risk missing the slightest sound.

[absolutesnark]

Barbas was getting ready to leave the island when he sensed another witch nearby. He considered not even bothering with this one, but, he was desperate for a kill. He had to at least try, so he stalked over to the witch and revealded himself. "Should you be out here all alone?"

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

Tannim pulled his headphones away from his ears. "I can take care of myself," he said. "What about you?" He didn't stop walking, but altered his course just slightly so that he was headed straight for the Devil's Trap that the Winchesters had drawn earlier.

[absolutesnark]

"Ah, but you never know what lurks out here," Barbas said, waving a hand in front of Tannim's face. "Even your greatest fear."

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

"Not unless my greatest fear is a teal deer," Tannim scoffed, glancing around. No sign of anyone else around - well, that was the point, wasn't it? Everyone was waiting at the campground. If everyone was lurking around him, it wouldn't be much of a trap.

But there was a nagging thought at the back of his mind, wondering if the others were really waiting at the cabins or if he was on his own for this.

[absolutesnark]

"Teal deers don't exist," Barbas said, adding to Tannim's fears. "None of this exists. Magic isn't real."

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

He's messing with you, Tannim reminded himself. Don't let him get to you. Still, better safe than sorry. He reached within himself for the magical energy to reinforce his shields - and found nothing.

Too many comic books. Too many movies. Magic wasn't real, everyone knew that. What was all that nonsense about a school in Virginia? He was back home in Oklahoma, and if he didn't turn around and get back to the house by dinnertime, his mom was going to be pissed.

He started to turn around, then stopped. He's messing with you!, something in his brain reminded him. But really, a fear demon? If he couldn't stop imagining this stuff, he'd end up locked up in an institution like Faye Harper's mom.

He paused, confused. What was real?

[absolutesnark]

Barbas was delighted by Tannim's confusion. "It's all in your mind. Magic was never real. It's just your imagination."

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

Tannim frowned at his feet. He should be going back to the house, but there was something nagging at him.

It was a silly game, this magic stuff. He should've outgrown it years ago. He thought of doctors and institutions and white jackets with really long sleeves that fastened in the back. Tannim shivered.

But there was something - he couldn't remember what. Something he had to look at? Just a little further on. It wouldn't take long and his mom wouldn't mind too much if he was a few minutes late for dinner. Oh, she'd scold him, but - there was something further on that would prove if he was crazy or not. He had to keep going.

Tannim turned back to the way he'd been going originally and took off towards the cabins in a sprint, before he could change his mind again.

[absolutesnark]

Barbas sighed. If he wanted a chase, he'd get one, so he continued to stalk after Tannim.

[likethegun]

Inside the cabin, Sam was looking up at the Devil's Trap he and Dean had drawn on the ceiling, making sure that it was complete. "I think it's ready," he said.

[blessed_twice]

Wyatt was watching out a window. "Here he comes," he said, seeing Tannim running toward the cabin. He frowned. "He looks scared."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Probably means it took the bait," Dean said, giving the Devil's Trap one last looksee. "Guess we better be ready."

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris handed vials of potion to everyone. "We have to wait until he's inside the trap to throw these," he reminded them. "Otherwise, he can just disappear."

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

Tannim threw open the door of the cabin and skidded to a stop inside, throwing out his arms to keep himself from slamming into the wall. He didn't remember why he'd come there, but he'd had a strong feeling that he should.

He turned around and pressed his back to the wall. He didn't notice anyone else in the cabin. Was there someone following him? He thought so - but maybe that was just paranoia.

[absolutesnark]

A cabin in the woods? What better way to continue feeding the fear?

"You can't run from it," Barbas taunted, following Tannim into the cabin.

[blessed_twice]

Wyatt tensed, feeling the aura of fear Barbas projected. He took a deep breath to steady himself as he crouched behind a couch. They had to wait until Barbas was in the Devil's Trap.

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

Chris was glad that Piper hadn't come with them. He was also glad that they had given Sam and Dean the potion, in case Barbas was able to work his mojo on him or Wyatt again.

He just hoped the potion worked.

[likethegun]

Sam was keeping an eye on Tannim as he waited for Barbas to step into the trap, concerned by how scared he looked. He hoped that if this worked - when this worked - he'd be all right.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean was hovering in the shadow of the open door, potion in one hand, watergun with holy water in the other as he watched Barbas step forward.

Come on you bastard, he thought, tense as he waited. Just a couple more steps...

[absolutesnark]

Barbas inched closer to Tannim, just enough to step into the trap.

[blessed_twice]

"Now!" Wyatt said, springing up. "Tannim, get down!" He and Chris threw the vanquish potions at Barbas.

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

Tannim still wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't, but instinct took over and he dropped to the ground, flat on his stomach.

[absolutesnark]

Barbas watched the potions flying toward him. He tried to move out of the way, realizing now that he was trapped.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

Dean nodded towards the ceiling. "That's the trap." A nod at Tannim. "He's the cheese. Guess who's the mouse?" He grinned tightly. "Gotcha."

[absolutesnark]

"You know I'll be back," Barbas taunted, knowing he was defeated. For now.

"Fear always comes back!" he added before he was completely vanquished.

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Dean said. "Blah, blah, blah. We've heard it all before. What, is it in the demonic handbook that they have to go on about coming back when they're being exorcised?" He considered for a moment. "Maybe I should ask Bel."

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

"He came back," Tannim pointed out. He stood up and brushed off his clothes. The confusion had mostly lifted now.

[blessed_twice]

"Aunt Phoebe brought him back," Wyatt said, inspecting the scorch mark where Barbas had stood. "I don't think we'll do that for this one."

[likethegun]

"No, that definitely wouldn't be a good idea," Sam remarked. "That was an awesome potion, by the way."

[blessed_twice]

"My Aunt Paige created it," Wyatt said, grinning. "Or she will create it. Something like that."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"Gotta say, it's a lot more efficient than all the Latin we usually have to use. I prefer getting rid of demons without having to conjugate."

[likethegun]

"That's because you're lazy," Sam replied easily, smirking before glancing at Tannim. "Are you okay?"

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

Tannim shook his head to clear it and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

[saltandammo.livejournal.com]

"You did great," Dean told him. "Bait's always the hardest job."

[sonofdragons.livejournal.com]

"Yeah. Y'know, in mousetraps? The cheese gets eaten," Tannim said.

[neurotic-witch.livejournal.com]

"Maybe that wasn't the best analogy," Chris admitted. "But we weren't going to let anything happen to you."