Based off the Gifset by doomslock on Tumblr - post/29592573621

"What in Hell was the deal for, Sherlock?" The question was almost shouted.

"It doesn't matter now." Sherlock turned towards the growling as the sound grew closer. Dean gripped the demon blade tighter in his hand, prepared to defend this man from Hell itself.

The first dog lunged forward, intent on dragging the detective to his fate. Its path was stopped abruptly by Dean's blade being buried in its side. Black tar-like blood poured from a hole in space; only Sherlock could see the dog and the wound in its side. Dean moved on instinct, tracking the dogs by the sound, body acting from the memory of his own tangle with the hounds. He remembered the way they moved, the way they circled and stalked their prey before lunging for the kill and shredding the victim with their claws.

Dean saw leaves move under the unseen paws of a hound. The yelped whine was a satisfying sound as the knife Dean had just thrown landed on the mark between the dog's eyes. Dashing to retrieve the knife, Dean whirled just in time to see rips appear in the bottom of Sherlock's long coat.

"Sherlock!" Dean yelled the detective's name, hoping that it will make the man turn from the hound's path. It worked. Sherlock spun to face Dean and dislodged the dog intent on working under the coat hem. Dean drew the Colt from his waist band and pointed it at the dog.

The shot rang out in the silent forest and the last dog fell, landing pressed against Sherlock's legs. Sherlock stepped away from the dead Hellhound and turned from Dean.

"So. What was the deal then?" Dean decided that now seemed as good a time as any to ask the question again.

"Why don't you tell him our deal, Mr. Holmes?" Sherlock turned to be faced with the very demon he made the deal with in the first place.

"What do you want, Crowley?" Dean turned on the King of Hell and sighed. He was getting tired of dealing with this demon. It was usually the same thing.

"I've come to collect on a debt, Winchester. You'd know about that, although you had help escaping yours, eventually. Although I have to say, you broke the first seal and kick-started the apocalypse before you left so I should thank you for that." Crowley turned a smug smile on the hunter before turning his gaze back to Sherlock. "You, Mr. Holmes, made a deal with me and how it's time for you to pay. I healed him; you got your five happy years, and now I'm here for you with your promised place as a General at my side. This was the agreement."

"Isn't the deal normally ten years? People come to demons for something and they get ten years?" Dean remembered his deal very well. He'd been told that, while that was the tradition, his soul was special. This made Dean wonder what was special about Sherlock's soul.

"Well, due to the genius nature of this man, a special understanding was struck. It's now time to pay for that understanding." Crowley was starting to lose his temper and Dean could hear it in his voice.

"Doesn't the fact that we fought off three Hellhounds prove something?" Sherlock met Crowley's eyes and raised an eyebrow.

"Normally it would. But you didn't fight them off your hunter friend did, so that doesn't mean anything. If you can offer something better then we might be able to strike another deal." Crowley met the eyes of the detective and waited for an answer to his challenge.

"Ten more years. In ten years, you get both John and myself with no arguments, no fights. We just come with you. How's that for better?" Sherlock knew it was a long shot, but it was the only thing he had to offer.

"You and your doctor friend in ten years? Sounds acceptable enough. Deal." Crowley turned from Sherlock and Dean watched the detective actively relax, relief is visible in every muscle of his body. Sherlock walked away and out of the forest as the demon turned briefly to Dean

"I'll be seeing you again, Winchester."