Always {A Vampire Diaries/Supernatural crossover story} HIATUS

Chapter 10: The Truth Shall Set You Free(Edited)

Chapter 10: The Truth Shall Set You Free

December 12, 2009

He had come to know quite thoroughly the world in which he lived. His outlook was bleak and materialistic. The world as he saw it was a fierce and brutal world, a world without warmth, a world in which caresses and affection and the bright sweetness of spirit did not exist.

Danny paused at the words written on the page, the corners of his lips twitching upward slightly in amusement. Three decades ago, they had been words that he had wholeheartedly believed in - and even now, some small part of him believed them to be true.

It had been a dark time in his life - as it was for most vampires who had their humanity turned off. He didn't revel in the bloodlust like Damon, nor did he spiral out of control like Stefan. If anything, he was more cold and calculating without it on. He was well aware of every move he made - every ounce of booze he drank, every joint he had smoked, every life he had taken was done only after careful consideration on his part.

Then that jackass Gabriel came along and had to ruin my party of one. Danny recalled ruefully, though not without affection.

He did not resent Gabriel for this - quite the opposite in fact. Gabriel had appeared during his darkest time - and had drug him kicking and screeching into the light. He was the one who had given him purpose and meaning in his life - at a point when he had had none. He felt he owed more to Gabriel than anyone else in his entire existence- though he would never admit it to the archangel.

Danny shook his head, giving a small smile as he reached over the back of the couch to grab his glass of bourbon. He paused with the edge of the glass touching his lips, taking a moment to revel in the silence that pervaded the library in the empty Salvatore mansion. An odd feeling of foreboding settled over him for a moment before the vampire shook it off, chalking it up to the usual apprehension he had when his brothers were out of his sight for more than ten minutes.

He had just taken a sip of his drink when he heard a soft fluttering behind him, followed by the words, "Hello, Daniel."

Danny choked on his drink, coughing as it went down the wrong pipe. He beat his chest a few times before saying in a strangled tone, "Dammit, Cas! We talked about this!"

He looked over the back of the couch to see the angel put on a chastised expression.

"My apologies, Daniel. I did not mean to frighten you," the angel said sincerely.

"Startle," Danny corrected idly, waving the angel over to sit on the couch across from him. "Don't worry about it, Cassie. Besides, you just reminded me that I need to put some warding up on this place." He took a long sip of his drink. "Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of this impromptu visit?"

The angel's eyes narrowed slightly as he straightened up, saying, "You lied to me about Adam."

"Not true," Danny responded, pointing at him lazily. "You just never bothered to ask about what state he was in. I would've told you he was mauled to death by ghouls if you had asked."

Cas grunted in response before asking, "How did you even know about Adam?"

"Kate," Danny replied simply, giving a small shrug.

"You two seem...close," Cas said, unable to come up with another word.

"We are, she's like the sister I never had - nothing more," Danny took another sip of his bourbon.

"I see..." the angel paused, staring around awkwardly. "So, uh...how've you been?"

The vampire's lips quirked upward in a small smile at the angel's awkward question. He turned, leaning over the back of the couch to pour some bourbon in another glass. Turning back, he handed it over to Cas, who took it, seeming almost grateful.