The Carnival Before The Storm {Sastre}

[madison]

I Still Hear Your Voice When You Sleep Next To Me
I Still Feel Your Touch In My Dreams
Forgive Me My Weaknesses
But I Don’t Know Why
Without You It’s Hard To Survive
Cause Every Time We Touch I Get This Feeling
And Every Time We Kiss I Swear I Could Fly
Can’t You Feel My Heart Beat Fast
I Want This To Last
I Need You By My Side

Madison was literally bouncing off walls. Well okay, maybe not walls. The bed though. She was definitely jumping on the bed. Being stuck in the house was driving her crazy. No job, no friends to speak of besides Brennan and Lily, who were quite content keeping themselves occupied in the bedroom most of the time. Well that was of course when they weren't out on a hunt.

Honestly she hadn't jumped on the bed since she was a child, but she was running out of things to do. There were a lot of hours in the day and she could only clean the house so many times or find so many things to sketch in one day. It was like the outside world was a distant reality she could no longer grasp and the boredom of being locked in the tower, or rather her home, was driving her insane. She wondered how the Disney princesses did it so often.


So instead of bothering to get dressed, Madison stayed in her green striped short boxers and matching lime green shirt. She drank coffee and attempted to slide across the floor in her socks, which really didn't have the desired effect. Seriously they make it look a lot easier in Risky Business. Then she came back into the room, opting for a little bed jumping.

She twisted and turned and racked her mind, wishing Sastre were here at least. He was off on a hunt doing something or other. It always made her nervous when Sastre went on a hunt and sitting in the house bored out of her gall wasn't helping. In fact it just made things worse. At least if she was working or helping someone or not being a useless waste of space her mind wouldn't constantly be drifting back to the many horrible things that could happen to him while hunting all the evil things that went bump in the night.

Jumping off the bed, Madison walked over and blasted the radio, before hopping back up and jumping again. She started air guitarring while singing, horribly off key, and just let herself get lost in the music, acting silly, and trying not to dwell on the bad things or her boredom.

[Florian Raniari]

Earlier that day...

Rock salt exploded out of the barrel of Sastre's shotgun.

"Dig faster!" he shouted as the vengeful spirit before him dispersed in a cloud of black and grey smoke. The hunter's blue-grey eyes darted about as he looked for any sign of the ghost, the sounds of Heath and Adams digging behind him the only thing breaking the pre-dawn silence. Sparing a quick glance over his shoulder, he was relieved to see only the tops of their heads above ground.

They were getting close, now, and that meant things would only get more intense. Taking advantage of the momentary calm, Sastre did a quick mental inventory of what he had on him: one more shell in his shotgun, the three-foot-long iron rod strapped to his back, and one other secret surprise for the spirit if it got close enough...

The air suddenly chilled around him, and Sastre rolled aside and came up with his shotty ready, glaring at the wavering image of an old man that hovered before him. Without warning, the hunter fired off the second barrel, but the ghost vanished just before the salt could make contact. Then, Sastre was lifted off his feet and flung back against a gravestone in the form of a tall obelisk. His head struck the unyielding stone, causing his vision to blur, but he could do nothing to escape the spirit's psychic hold on him, and he was pinned a foot off the ground.

"Sastre!" Adams shouted, peeking over the edge of the hole and preparing to jump out and rush to the older hunter's aid.

"No, keep digging!" Sastre growled, narrowing his eyes as the ghost approached slowly, menacingly. "Burn the bones, damn it!" Finally, when the old man's spirit was close enough, Sastre lashed out with his legs, kicking at the ghost and smiling in satisfaction as it dispersed before him, howling angrily. Sastre dropped to the ground and was immediately up in a defensive crouch, though every joint in his body protested such treatment.

Flicking his eyes down to his boots, the old hunter grinned humorlessly. These particular boots were something special that he'd had made years earlier: iron-toed, with just enough of the metal showing through the torn and scuffed leather to be able to ring an evil spirit's bell.

"Quicksilver!" Heath shouted, pulling Sastre's attention back to the grave. There, hovering near the edge, was the ghost, reaching downward for the two young hunters. "Little help here?"

Sastre cursed himself as he realized that the spirit had just been trying to get him away from his companions. Dashing forward, Sastre pulled the iron rod from his back and hurled it toward his enemy, watching as it flew end over end through the lightening morning. It struck the ghost and dispersed it before sticking shuddering in the ground inches from Heath's head, causing the shocked hunter to curse.

"Speed it up?" Sastre asked, a bit breathlessly. Just then, the ghost appeared before him, an expression of rage etched into its features. The hunter readied himself for another psychic assault, but just as the spirit was prepared to act, it burst into flames and vanished. "Jesus, did you two cut it close enough, you think?"

Heath and Adams pulled themselves up out of the grave, dusting themselves off and grinning. Sastre was bone-tired, and his head was beginning to throb from the ghost's earlier attack, yet he found their smiles infectious, and he grinned back, clapping them both on the shoulders.

"Alright, get to work filling that grave back in, boys. Nice job today," he told them, gathering his gear and heading back toward the jeep he had borrowed from Lily.

"Hey, where you going?" Heath asked. "Aren't you gonna help us?"

"Nope," Sastre answered with a chuckle. "Sorry guys, I've got plans for the day. Have fun."
__________________________________________________

Sastre leaned in the doorway, letting out a soft chuckle at Madison's antics.

He'd arrived a few moments before, but he'd found her little display so cute that he'd decided to just watch for a bit. He couldn't help but smile when he was near her, and he still couldn't believe that he had her. She gave him something to fight for, and something to come home to after every hunt, knowing that he'd find comfort in her arms no matter what.

"Having fun?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and grinning at her.

[madison]

I Still Hear Your Voice When You Sleep Next To Me
I Still Feel Your Touch In My Dreams
Forgive Me My Weaknesses
But I Don’t Know Why
Without You It’s Hard To Survive
Cause Every Time We Touch I Get This Feeling
And Every Time We Kiss I Swear I Could Fly
Can’t You Feel My Heart Beat Fast
I Want This To Last
I Need You By My Side


Madison had been singing at the top of her lungs, blaring out an air guitar solo, when Sastre's voice cut through the music. A soft startled sound came from her throat as she turned to face him, stumbling and falling on her ass on the bed, not having been prepared to see him or hear him. She felt a flush creep up her neck and into her cheeks.

"What are you doing here?" She asked embarrassment evident on her face. Biting her lip she tried to catch her breath, still staring at him in wide eyed astonishment. Sastre had been on a hunt, one she hadn't expected him to come home from today. Boredom made people do funny things. Madison had just been trying to entertain herself. She had no idea she was entertaining Sastre as well.

"I mean, I wasn't expecting you!" She tugged at her short boxers, not that it wasn't anything Sastre hadn't seen before, but it gave her something to do with her hands. Besides air guitar. "I thought you weren't going to be back for another couple of days!"

Grinning sheepishly Madison bit her lip. It didn't matter that he'd seen her making a fool of herself. All that mattered was that he was home. Getting back to her feet, Madison the short distance across the bed and jumped into his embrace, her arms wrapping around his neck as she smiled up at him. "Welcome home." Leaning in she kissed him deeply.

[Florian Raniari]

All of the weariness and exhaustion seemed to flow out of Sastre when Madison kissed him.

Slipping his arms around the woman's waist, he pulled her closer, reveling in the feel of her body pressed against his. Honestly, Sastre didn't know how he ever managed to go out on a hunt before he'd met Madison. She was what gave him the motivation to come through it all okay, she gave him something to fight for, something to come home too. Before Madison, Sastre's life had just been one hunt after another, after another, with nothing between to break up the monotony.

But that nightmare was over now, for the most part. Yes, he was still taking jobs, and leaving for sometimes days at a time, but he always knew that she was here, waiting for him. He wished he could be home with her more often, but his duty left little room sometimes for personal comforts and pleasures. And, as things stood now, Sastre wondered if he'd ever be rid of those duties...

"I have a surprise for you," he said softly, breaking the kiss. "There's a carnival in town. I thought it'd be nice to go check it out. You know, get a way for a while. Just the two of us..."

[madison]

I Still Hear Your Voice When You Sleep Next To Me
I Still Feel Your Touch In My Dreams
Forgive Me My Weaknesses
But I Don’t Know Why
Without You It’s Hard To Survive
Cause Every Time We Touch I Get This Feeling
And Every Time We Kiss I Swear I Could Fly
Can’t You Feel My Heart Beat Fast
I Want This To Last
I Need You By My Side


Madison was so happy to see Sastre that all the embarrassment and self-consciousness flowed out of her as her body pressed against his. She breathed in the scent of him, practically melting in his arms. She had missed him. She hated being cooped up in the house with nothing to do, but it wouldn't be near as bad if Sastre could stay with her.

She knew he couldn't though. He had a job to do. Helping people, killing the things that no one else believed in. Madison knew she couldn't ask him to stop. She loved him, all of him. The good the bad, the quirks, the peeves. Hunting was a part of Sastre, she didn't think it would be possible to love him without loving what he did for people.

A carnival was not what Madison had thought Sastre was going to mention when he said he had a surprise for her. She blinked at him for a moment before a fresh grin broke out on her face. Madison had mentioned to Sastre how she liked the carnival. It was one of the last things that she had done as a whole with her family before her father died. Sastre had remembered it seemed, and excitement rushed through her as she bounced a little on her toes. She felt like a kid again for a moment as the memories came back to her.

"Really?" Her eyes sparkled with hope. "You don't have a hunt or something to take care of?" She raised her brows knowing very well how the hunting world worked. "I don't want to take you away from anything. I know if something happens and your not there you'll find a way to blame yourself later."

She still had her arms around his neck, and was looking into his eyes, waiting to hear his answer.

[Florian Raniari]

Sastre smiled, kissing her on the forehead.

"There are a couple of easy jobs, but nothing the guys can't handle. Besides, they need the practice. They aren't going to get any better if I keep pulling them out of these messes." He decided it was best to mention that it had been Adams and Heath who had managed to save him at the last minute this time, thinking that it probably wasn't that important.

Scooping Madison up into his arms, he took a few steps forward and tossed her onto the bed.

"You'd better get dressed, though, unless you plan on going out like that. Not that I'd mind, of course." He winked at her playfully. "I need to go get cleaned up and changed, unless you want me dragging you around the carnival looking like a dirty bum." After grabbing some clean clothes from the dresser, Sastre went over to the bed, leaning over and kissing her.

"Give me ten minutes, alright?"

[madison]

I Still Hear Your Voice When You Sleep Next To Me
I Still Feel Your Touch In My Dreams
Forgive Me My Weaknesses
But I Don’t Know Why
Without You It’s Hard To Survive
Cause Every Time We Touch I Get This Feeling
And Every Time We Kiss I Swear I Could Fly
Can’t You Feel My Heart Beat Fast
I Want This To Last
I Need You By My Side


Madison raised a brow. She was a bit skeptic that Heath and Adams would be fine on their own. Sastre was always showing them the right way to do something and she knew if anything happened to either one when Sastre wasn't there he would blame himself.

When he scooped Madison up in his arms and tossed her on the bed she couldn't help but giggle as she landed on the soft mattress, bouncing slightly. All the bad thoughts and worries seemed to fall behind her and she smiled adoringly at him. "You don't look that bad." She bit her lip looking him over playful glint in her eye. "Hmm, then again maybe you should clean up."

Sastre asked for ten minutes and slipped into the bathroom. Madison bounced out of bed and pulled out some clean clothes, suddenly happy she opted for the long bubble bath the night before. She pulled on a pair of jeans and green long sleeved shirt, before going over to the vanity and checking her hair, which of course was a mess from her air guitar solo.

Brushing it out, she pulled on a pair of socks and some comfortable sneakers. Walking around a carnival in heels or uncomfortable foot wear was just a no no. She pulled on her leather jacket and leaned against the door frame, waiting for Sastre to emerge. When he did she was smirking. "And they say men always have to wait on the women."

[Florian Raniari]

Regular access to a shower was another reason why Sastre knew he could never go back to his old way of living, roaming homeless across the country in search of creatures to destroy.

Flashing Madison a grin, the old hunter slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her close and kissing her. He felt so good, so alive around her. It was something that he'd never expected to feel again, and he was glad to have her in his life.

"Well, not everyone can just be automatically marvelous looking like you," he teased with a wink. "The rest of us have to work at looking good. And even with all that work, most of us just crash and burn." Kissing her again, he tossed his work clothes into the hamper and sighed in contentment, his lips still quirked into a half-smile. "You look incredible..."

Out of habit, the hunter moved over to the dresser and opened the top drawer, pulling out a pistol and slipping it into his back pocket. After pulling the back of his shirt down to hide the weapon, Sastre turned his attention back to Madison.

God, she was amazing. Even after all this time, just looking at her made his heart skip a beat. He couldn't believe that he had her, that she'd even wanted someone like him. Sastre tried not to bring that particular issue up around her, as it usually ended up turning into the two of them arguing about who was a worse person, but it was really how he felt. She deserved better than the life he could give her. And, someday, he still hoped he'd be able to devote all of his time to her, rather than having to divide that time between being with her, and being out hunting.

"Ready to go?"

[madison]

I Still Hear Your Voice When You Sleep Next To Me
I Still Feel Your Touch In My Dreams
Forgive Me My Weaknesses
But I Don’t Know Why
Without You It’s Hard To Survive
Cause Every Time We Touch I Get This Feeling
And Every Time We Kiss I Swear I Could Fly
Can’t You Feel My Heart Beat Fast
I Want This To Last
I Need You By My Side

When Sastre kissed her, Madison's eyes closed and she practically melted in his arms. Butterflies assaulter her stomach giving her a light, airy feeling as goose bumps washed over her arms. There was just something about the way he held her, the way he kissed her and spoke to her that made Madison feel as though she were in another world where there was no such things as monsters or wife beaters. She moaned into the kiss, almost wanting to call off the carnival and stay in bed with him, but it had been so long since she'd gone out of the house and do something fun.

Madison blushed when Sastre said she looked incredible. In all honesty Madison had no idea what Sastre saw in her. She was a normal, average every day person who had been in an abusive relationship and couldn't defend herself against a common street mugger let alone a vampire or werewolf. In fact a werewolf is what had gotten her into this entire mess. Looking back on it now though, she was glad. Otherwise she never would have met Sastre. Honestly she had no idea what he saw in her, but she was glad he saw it. Glad he was here now.

Grinning she stole another quick kiss, before wrapping her arms around his neck and flashing him a smile. "You don't clean up so bad yourself you know." Her heart was racing in her chest staring at him all cleaned up, though to her it didn't matter if he had long hair or short, beard or no, he was always handsome. She had thought so the first time she laid eyes on him.

"Ready when you are Mr. Quicksilver."

[Florian Raniari]

The jeep pulled into the parking lot.

Stepping out, Sastre's eyes darted warily about, taking in everything, looking for every possible threat and every item that could be used as a weapon. He'd been taught long, long ago that you may not always have the tools you need at your disposal, and that the ability to improvise could often be the difference between life and death. In that single moment, he identified four people who could be possible threats (supernatural or not) and had found seven different objects that he could use to take down various supernatural creatures.

Relaxing a bit, he went around to open Madison's door for her, helping her out and closing it behind her. The expression of glee on her face made this entire idea worth it, and even though the hunter felt a bit out of his element, he knew that if Madison had a good time today, that was all that mattered.

The truth was, Sastre had had his fair share of traveling carnivals in the past. And, of course, none of those experiences had involved hunting and killing some nightmare creature hellbent on chaos and murder. Needless to say, carnivals didn't hold the magic for him that they obviously did for Madison. Still, as he took her hand and led her on, Sastre had a feeling that today was going to be different than all of those other times.

Today was going to be fun.