IV. Momentary Truce

Disclaimer:  None of these characters belong to me.  I only lay claim on the conception of the plot idea.

Author's Note:  First I'd like to thank everyone who read, commented and corrected some of my errors.  I really appreciate constructive criticism and pointing out my errors; at least for next time I won't make the same mistake.  Here's the next chapter.  It's still un-beta-read and I'm taking this chance to say that I am in dire need of a beta-reader so if you don't mind beta-reading the future chapters of this fic, please feel free to drop me a message.  THANKS!

Chapter Summary:  Buffy and Dean must deal with the consequences of their unexpected squabble that pulled the last of their parents' string of patience...

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Yours, Mine, Ours:
Summers-Winchester Style
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IV.  Momentary Truce

GROUNDED?" WILLOW, XANDER, AND OZ STARED at the blonde Slayer for the longest time.  "What do you mean grounded?" it was Xander who asked Buffy to elaborate.

        "Exactly that," Buffy shrugged and resumed walking.  "After Mom read me the riot act, which really wasn't that long of a list, just a little something reminding me that although Dean's a guy and can take punches as well as give one or two, still, I am more stronger than him so if I wasn't careful I might've ended up sending him to the ER and we would've had a hell to explain why my twenty-year-old stepbrother had a few broken bones and a bleeding nose, not to mention a busted lip."

        "For how long are you grounded?  And I can't believe Joyce would do that to you!" complained Willow.

        "I'm grounded for a week.  And Mom gave me a curfew as far as patrolling's concerned.  She even called Giles and told him that I was grounded and I am only allowed to patrol until midnight then after that it was back to the house for me," she explained.

        "Whoa," Xander stopped walking and held up his hand.  "House?" he echoed.

        Buffy's steps faltered and she slowly turned to give her friends a sheepish smile.  "Didn't I tell you that part of the punishment is that I'm to stay at home for a week?"

        Willow's jaw dropped.  Oz casually reached over and gingerly closed his shocked girlfriend's mouth to prevent anything from flying in to her gaping hole.

        "You're staying back at Revello Drive with the guy you thought was evil but turns out he's not and you two got into a fist-fight, which was really not very manly of your stepbrother to punch a girl even though you're no pushover when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, Buff, but regardless...you're staying with Joyce and the Winchesters?!"  Xander was having a hard time wrapping his head around this.

        "Yeah.  So far not so good," she admitted.  "I mean, Dean's still being an ass, but what else is new?  But at least he made sure to stay the hell outta my way.  I dunno what John told him when they had a confrontation in the dining room.  I heard some shouting while I was in the kitchen with Mom, but it was few and far in-between," she explained.

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SAM SAT BACK IN HIS BUNK BED pretending to be engrossed in his science text book while he watched his older brother check the nasty bluish-purple bruise on his cheekbone.  Buffy landed a solid punch there as well as gave his brother a run for his money when she busted his upper and lower lip open.

        "Man, that chick's a freak!" Dean hissed and turned away from the mirror.

        Sam merely cocked an eyebrow but didn't reply.  Lately Dean's been stewing by himself.  After the fiasco Friday night between Dean and Buffy, the duo's been walking on eggshells practically the whole weekend.

        "And who the hell taught her how to fight like that?" Dean complained and stalked away from the chest-high bureau and stood by the window.  It was almost ten o'clock and Buffy was out -- as usual with her friends -- so the house was pretty quiet.  Joyce and their father went out to watch a movie together and just enjoy married life.

        "Why did you even attack her?" Sam finally decided to talk to his brother.  Poor Dean, he sounded like a loser talking to himself and worrying about their blonde stepsister while at the same time he was dying to wrap his hands around her pretty little neck and squeeze the life out of her.

        Dean turned sideways and gave his brother a bewildered look.  Sam saw him that night after their parents called a stop to their squabble in the living room.  He was practically sopping wet from whatever Buffy doused him with.

        "She poured water on me, Sam," he reminded him.

        "So?  Was that reason enough to start throwing punches at her?  I mean, c'mon Dean, Buffy's just a girl," Sam reminded him.

        "I know that, but you weren't the one who fought with her, Sammy.  If you did you'd think what went through my mind as soon as she took a fighting stance and didn't back down from a hand-to-hand combat."

        "Oh really?" Sam challenged.  He put his science book away.  He wasn't interested in reading about anymore anyway.  "Exactly what did you think of Buffy when you two were fighting?"

        "She's strong, Sam, and not just because she knows Steven Seagal-slash-Jean-Claude Van Damme moves.  But I sensed...I dunno.  For a moment there I thought she was a demon or possessed by a demon.  She was intense and right then I didn't care whether she was a girl and my stepsister or not.  If her late-night escapades at the cemetery was anything to go by, I'd say she's a member of some evil cult and she was possessed!"

        "But she's not evil."

        "We don't know that, Sam."

        Sam cocked his brow higher and tilted his head to the side.  Dean was reaching here.  He wanted to justify why he punched a girl.  And his older brother thinking Buffy might be some possessed human being made sense, but based on what he has seen and observed of his older stepsister, Buffy was just your typical California blonde ditz -- if ever such thing exist.

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BUFFY STOPPED DEAD ON HER TRACKS from entering the kitchen when she saw Dean loitering about.  He had a box of her favourite cereal in his hands, shaking it to check how much more cereals the box contained, before crossing the room to the fridge and rummaged for some milk.

        It was Sunday morning.  Day Two of their punishment.  Last night she snuck home a few minutes after midnight and made her way to her room as quietly as possible.  She knew her mom and John were still out, but she sensed Dean was watching out for her.  If he was intent on making her life miserable, her coming home late from curfew last night would be an ammunition he could use against her.  But Buffy could justify herself.  A few fresh vamps decided they wanted to party just before midnight and she got busy dusting the lot of 'em with the help of her friends of course.

        John might not understand, but when she explained it to her mother, Joyce would understand.  After all, she knew her daughter's duty to this town of Sunnydale that was why she gave her a curfew instead of prohibiting her from patrolling the streets of Sunnydale at night.

        "Make yourself useful instead of standing there and gawking at me," came Dean's rough demand.  His back was to her while he grabbed the jug of milk and hoisted it on the island counter.

        Buffy squared her shoulders and crossed the space from the doorway to the counter.  "Make myself useful how?" she demanded.

        Dean looked at her then, one eyebrow cocked and his busted upper lip quirked to a smirk.  Even with his lips busted, he still knew how to ooze with charm.  And damn him to hell, Buffy was feeling his charm work on her.  Snap out of it, Buff! she scolded herself and broke eye contact.

        "Grab some bowls and spoons so we can eat?"  He lifted the cereal box and jug of milk.

        "Oh, right," Buffy decided to humour him since she was craving for some cereals too this morning.  She produced a couple of bowls and spoons and laid it on the counter.  She walked back around and gave herself and Dean a good four to five feet distance from one another.

        She watched him fill the two bowls with the right amount of cereals and milk.  He plunked one spoon in her bowl and handed it to her.

        "Bon appetit," he smiled before scooping up his own bowl and started munching away.

        Buffy was surprised at this unexpected treatment from him.  She was waiting for him to gloat at her and rub it in her face that he knew she snuck home late last night, but he never did.  What was he trying to prove?

        They ate in relative silence for the next few minutes.  She didn't know what time their parents came home last night.  All she knew was after that long, deserving hot bath she treated herself to last night after she fought those vamps, she was out like a light.  She didn't know where Sam was, but he often doesn't wake up early so it was no surprise that he wasn't in the kitchen just yet.

        The first five minutes of silence stretched to ten, and finally when it was close to fifteen minutes neither one of them could stand it and said in unison, "I'm sorry."

        They were both shocked to hear the other say it out loud and actually argued to let the other speak first.

        "No, you say your peace first," Buffy insisted.

        "But you're a girl," Dean pointed out.

        "And I insist that you go first."

        Dean knew this argument would be never-ending, so he humoured her.  "I said I'm sorry for sneaking up on you Friday night."

        "Thank you," she accepted his apology gracefully.  "And I'm sorry too for dousing you with holy water."

        Dean did a double look at her and suddenly found it hard for him to swallow.

        "H-holy water?" he echoed.

        "Yeah," she nodded.  "I was under the impression that you're some possessed person, you know?  Like have you seen that movie with the girl whose head spun around and she puked out this nasty puke-green goo?  I thought you were like that."

        She just compared him to Linda Blair from The Exorcist.

        "What made you think that?"  Dean found it amusing that she thought he was evil when it was him thinking she was the evil one.

        "Because you've done nothing but annoy the hell outta me since you got here?"  She wrinkled her nose while she held her cereal bowl aloft.

        "Hey, I thought that's what big brothers are for?" Dean tried to make light of his uncalled for behaviour towards her.  He had to admit, he was tough on her on purpose because he was under the impression she was evil-incarnate.  But now he was starting to rethink his initial assessment of his stepsister.

        Buffy merely rolled her eyes at him and continued her breakfast.

        Dean watched her eat for a few seconds before finishing his own breakfast.  He went for seconds and asked her if she was interested.  When she nodded he took her bowl and made them another serving of cereal.  They ate in silence once again, and that was how their parents and Sam found them in the kitchen.