Deals and Death

They were huddled around Bobby's living room again. Now that they had pestilence's location, the next step was to get his ring.

Dean cursed in frustration. Despite their renewed faith in the good fight they had yet to come up with some sort of actual plan. Normally Dean was all about rushing in guns a blazing but there was just too much at stake this time. It didn't help that he hated research, hated planning, hated books.

"You want to actually help or just curse under your breath?" Sam found it hard to concentrate with all of Dean's mumbling and pacing.

"I must really be losing my mind." Dean handed Sam his phone. "Call her."

Sam stared at his brother, mouth open like a fish out of water. He honestly couldn't think of anything that would have surprised him more. For a brief moment he was tempted to play dumb but he was afraid Dean would change his mind and he and Bobby had hit a brick wall 2 days ago.

Grabbing the phone he dialed the familiar number.

Chloe picked up on the second ring, a slight panic settling into her stomach. "Sam? Is everything okay?" She had been researching signs and despite her novice with the subject, could tell it was getting worse.

"Yeah everything is fine." He turned to Dean and Bobby and frowned. Everything was so far from fine. "Can you meet me and Dean somewhere?"

"I'll be there in 5 minutes." she clicked the phone closed and called Clark.

"Chloe?" Stupid tracking device. "She's on her way."

"When's she gonna get here?" Bobby assumed he had time to ask questions about some girl they were bringing into his home.

"She said five minutes."

"How they hell she gonna get here that fast?" Bobby's voice was gruff.

"no idea." Sam smiled at Bobby like it was perfectly natural. "Bobby I know you don't like strangers but Chloe can help."

"You boys trust her?" Dean shrugged and Sam didn't respond. Trust was a big deal. She certainly hadn't given them reason not to trust her but that didn't mean anything.

"Not sure. All I know is we hit a wall and she has proven herself before." Bobby seemed to think about Dean's words. He knew the elder brother didn't hand out compliments easy. Heck it was shocking enough that he was actually willing to call in help. He would reserve judgment until she got here but that didn't mean he wasn't going to test her.

The three men turned at the knock at the door. Sam and Dean didn't look surprised but Bobby's face was priceless. Dean briefly wondered it he had looked half as foolish when she had shown up on their motel doorstep the second time.

Striding towards the entrance Dean opened the door to find a pale and worried looking Chloe. Her eyes went around the room until they fell on Sam. She sighed with relief. Both boys were still okay.

"Well here I am. Tell me what I can help with."

"Not so fast missy." Chloe turned towards the gruff older gentleman.

"Chloe this is Bobby." Sam offered the introductions.

Chloe offered her hand and watched as the seasoned hunter reached out and took it. He mumbled Christo under his breath and she just smiled.

"Want to try the holy water, silver and anything else you got?" Sam tried to hide his surprise. He really should stop underestimating her. "I told you I would still research. You be amazed what you can find when you know what to look for."

Chloe stood patiently while Bobby satisfied himself that at the very least she wasn't any of the evil things he could test for. She didn't even complain when he ran the silver blade across her forearms leaving a trail of blood.

"I could have told you I was evil free but I'm guessing you would have wanted to do the tests anyway." She offered him a small smile. She didn't know him but if he was in the boy's inner circle he must be important. Not that she knew them either but she knew the type. Stupid Heroes.

"So you called and I came running. Well actually I wasn't the one running but.." She turned and smiled at the boys. "Either way I'm here now so how can I help?"

Sam led her over to the table where he and Bobby were researching. Dean went to follow until Bobby grabbed his arm. "You sure about her?"

"Hell no." Dean whispered. "But we are running out of options and…" Dean looked over to the table and felt a smile tug at his lips. Sam was leaning over a musty book showing her everything they had found so far.

"Christ boy this aint' the time." He saw the way the elder Winchester looked at the petite blonde.

"It's not like that Bobby." Dean grumbled. He wanted to explain but his phone interrupted them.

"Cas?" Bobby could hear the surprise in Dean's voice. "Where the hell are you?"

"To death this place is like Dollywood."

Chloe sat in the back of the impala and rolled her eyes. She was finally seeing the real Dean. Snarky, confidant and dangerously sexy and it was making her just a bit nervous. They were sitting outside of a nursing home about to confront one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and all she could think about was the way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled. Stupid heroes.

"So we're going in while you wait in the car." Sam turned around to face her.

"And why couldn't I stay back at Bobby's again?" She tried not to sound like an impatient child.

Dean didn't want to tell her that Bobby didn't trust her which put her in danger. For some reason that bothered Dean. Of course when Sam had brought it up to him he had denied it.

"Just wait in the car." Dean's tone was short.

"Okay dad. Can I at least have the keys so I can listen to the radio."

Dean tossed them back at her and he and Sam got out of the car. Sam offered her a sympathetic smile before following his brother. After that the minutes ticked by slowly.

Checking her watch for what felt like the millionth time she finally had enough. Jumping out of the backseat she popped the trunk and grabbed a sawed off. Tucking it under her jacket she made her way inside. She was prepared to offer the desk clerk a story about her grandpa only to realize the place was deserted.

"This isn't good." She mumbled the words under her breath. As she followed the hallway to the elevator she found the first body. Curled up and covered in some horrible green substance she appeared to have been a nurse. Chloe barely spared her a glance as she heard something. Turning her head towards the sound she could vaguely make out the sounds of Sam and Dean's intermixed with an awful sounding cough.

Following the sound she moved slowly. Sticking close to the wall until she could see them hunched over. Rushing forward she moved to help then stand only to find fear in both Sam's and Dean's eyes. She was certain they would have asked her something if they had been able to stop coughing long enough to form words. Falling to their knees Chloe was helpless to stop them. The Winchesters were mountains of men and there was just no way she could support them. Picking up Sam's dropped knife she opted to put the shotgun away in favor of the magical blade.

She was pulled from her panic by a smooth voice. Looking up she saw the face of pestilence. At least that was who she assumed he was.

"Who are you?" He stared at her and fiddled with his ring. Her eyes immediately flew to it. The prize. The reason they were here. Ring number 3. The tools to lock Lucifer back up in his cage. "Why aren't you sick?" His voice dripped with menace.

Looking down she realized he had made the boys sick, he had made everyone sick. Panic swelled in her that she would follow the boys into unconsciousness until training took over and she lunged forward trying not to notice the sickening way the blade cut through flesh and bone and freed the ring from the evil thing's finger. Forcing down her gag reflex she pulled back quickly.

"Doesn't matter, you're too late." with that the horrible man vanished. Chloe turned her head away from the severed finger and the ring as she tried to choke back the bile that was quickly rising in her throat. She felt a pair of strong hands on her shoulders and suddenly she was swept up. Curled tightly against a familiar wall of chest.

"It's going to be okay." Dean's voice barely reached her. Chloe had done a lot of things in her life up to this point and she was no stranger to the fact that sometimes horrible things needed to be done for the greater good but this was too much. Too much death. The smell was burning in her nose and she just couldn't get to the fresh air quick enough.

Dean shared a look with Sam. Certain his brother had been thinking the same thing. Why they hell was she immune to pestilence?

Rushing out of the building the boys almost crashed into Castiel.

"You're too late. Chloe already got the ring." The angel glanced down at the petit blonde being carried and back up to meet Dean's stare. "Let's get back to Bobby's. We can talk then."

Dean put Chloe down in the back seat and raised an eyebrow in surprise as the angel used the door to get into the front. Sam only glared before slipping into the backseat with Chloe.

Chloe remained silent the entire ride while Dean spared concerned glances at her through the rearview mirror. He was glad when they were finally back at Bobby's.

"Score one for the good guys." Bobby was sitting behind the desk.

"We're worried he left a bomb somewhere." Sam and Dean exchanged heated looks. That and neither could stop worrying about what the hell made Chloe immune?

"Tell us you have some good news."

"Chicago is about to be wiped off the map." Bobby's tone was low and menacing.

"I'm not sure I understand your definition of good news?" The angel looked confused.

Chloe was sitting in the chair staring absently at the paper as Bobby explained how he had discovered the location of Death. She was only half paying attention. She could still smell the death and hear the sickening sound of flesh and bone being severed. A chill crept up her spine.

"How did you put this together?" The boys knew Bobby had skills when it came to patterns but this was major league. Not to mention up until a few hours ago no one had any leads on Death's location.

"No shame in it Bobby." Dean and Sam's eyes flew to their new guest. Crowley.

"Tell us what?" Sam asked.

"The world's gonna end. Seems stupid to get all precious over one little soul. "

"Wait Bobby sold his soul for a location?" Chloe finally engaged in the conversation.

"Yeah sunshine, welcome to the party." Crowley tossed the words at her with condescension and a roll of his eyes.

He angered her. She wasn't used to being out of the loop and was quickly realizing it was fun for her. Pushing away the last grim feelings from earlier in the day she offered the demon a sneer. "Give it back."

He hid the surprise well but she caught it.

"Now." Dean added for good measure.

"No, I can't."

"Can't or Won't?" Yes he had helped them in their hunt to kill Lucifer but he was still a demon.

"Won't alright? It's my insurance policy. You put Lucifer back in the box and Bobby get's his soul back."

Chloe continued to glare a moment longer before turning her attention back to the paper in front on her. She missed the look of surprise on Bobby's face at her words and Dean's look of pride.

"I think I found the bomb." suddenly all eyes were on her as she turned the paper to show the guys the article about Niveus Pharmaceuticals.

Sam was the first to realize what was going on. "Simultaneous nationwide distribution." he shook his head.

Crowley took the paper from her and smiled. "And the pixie gets a prize." turning towards the boys he winked. "Glad to see you are picking your traveling companions more carefully these days."

Sam gave him a nasty look and turned away. Time to plan a war on two fronts. Someone needed to stop distribution of the virus and someone needed to get Death's ring.

"Okay I see we have paired off nicely. What team am I on?" Chloe stood watching Cas, Bobby, and Sam load up the van while Dean checked the impala.

"You're staying here." Dean barely looked up. He knew she was going to be angry.

"Oh sure. You want me to keep the home fires burning. Maybe I should bake something too? Knit a few hats? Darn a few socks?"

"Chloe this isn't a game and you aren't trained." Sam used his best puppy dog eyes but Chloe didn't budge. Moving next to Dean she leaned over the truck and selected a handgun. Checking to ensure it was loaded and the safety was off she pointed to a location on the far end of the open field. There were a few cans set up from Dean's last anger management session.

Gently squeezing the trigger she knocked them down one two three without blinking. Dean could hide the smirk that curled his lips. He really shouldn't have been surprised based on the gun she had been holding the first time he had met her.

"Cans don't fight back princess." Bobby said what Dean was thinking. Well what he would have been thinking if he had been able to use his upstairs brain. There was just something sinful about a woman holding his gun.

Chloe lowered the gun and switched the safety back on before handing it butt first to Dean. "Look I know you guys don't know me and this isn't really the place you want to test out new players but I have been dealing with trouble since high school. I know 3 types of martial arts, I can handle a dozen different weapons, I've trained with knives, swords and arrows. Please trust me when I say I can hold my own."

Maybe it was the serious tone she used or the shadows that Dean saw in her eyes but he thought she might just be telling the truth. Didn't mean he wanted her in danger but he had to admit having someone watching his back other than a Demon did sound appealing.

"Fine you ride with us but you do what I tell you or so help me I will lock that sweet ass in the trunk."

Sam and Bobby exchanged shocked looks.

"Alright let's get this show on the road." Dean moved towards the van with Crowley and Chloe at his side.

"You just going to sit there Bobby?"

Anger clouded the older hunters face. "No I'm going to riverdance."

"If you want." Crowley was so smug Chloe wanted to slap him. "Bobby Bobby Bobby, when are you guys going to learn. You get more if you phrase it properly. I took the liberty of adding a sub A clause to your deal. So are you going to just sit there?"

Bobby looked confused until his foot shifted slightly on the peg. Looking up with awe he moved his legs to place his feet on the ground and stood up. Gratitude and joy clouded his vision and while he understood the demon had his own reasons for helping Bobby, none of them altruistic, he still needed to say thanks.

"Can we go now? This is getting maudlin."

"Good luck stopping the zombie apocalypse." Dean offered a tiny smile.

"Yeah, good luck stopping Death." Sam offered his brother a brief nod before turning away.

There would be no tearful goodbyes. No hugs or even handshakes. They behaved as if it was just another hunt. Chloe could admire their cool and calm demeanor. She knew how hard it was to remain calm in the face of near certain death. She had been there herself too many times to count.

AN/ Boy this is getting darker and darker.

Reviews PLEASE