"Hello moose, come to bring me prezzies on Christmas Eve?"

"No." Sam rolled his eyes and snorted in irritation. "We need help with a translation."

"Ah, so I'm Santa in this little charade then?" Crowley grinned at him and patted his lap. "Alright. Come sit on my lap, tell Santa what you want for Christmas."

Sam walked to him and looked down, hovering over him.

"On second thought, why don't you just stand - what did your mother feed you as a boy?" He smirked evilly, "Oh yeah, she didn't. Tell me, moose, does it make the holidays particularly hard on you?"

Taking a deep breath, Sam set the paper in front of Crowley, "Just tell me what it says."

"And what do I get out of the deal, hmm?" Crowley looked up at Sam with a raised eyebrow. "An hour of exercise a day? Maybe a book of the month club?"

"How about the knowledge that you helped?"

"Not quite good enough."

"I know there's good in you, I saw it during the trials. Stop trying to hide it Crowley."

"I'm afraid that's all gone now." Crowley gave Sam an uneasy smile.

Sam leaned in close so that they were face to face. "No, I was getting through to you," he said, and in that instant he saw a flicker of what he'd seen during the trial.

Crowley looked away, shaken. "You were getting things into an even bigger mess than usual, and that was before you failed," he sneered, his voice raspier than usual, not quite meeting Sam's eye. "Does it ever get old, always being the one to ruin everything? Always being the one to taint all those around you? Always..."

"You're going to help me," Sam said over him.

"I don't see how you could possibly convince me. You've not offered me a thing," Crowley said with a satisfied grin, feeling once again in control of himself.

Sam glared at him and Crowley laughed.

Sam grabbed Crowley by his collar and raised his fist.

"Oh, now things are getting interesting." Crowley smiled up at Sam, but the harder Sam looked, the more he saw what he had in the church. Fear. Longing. Pain.

And then he understood.

"Me burying my fist in your face would be a good distraction, wouldn't it?" he asked as he lowered his fist.

"I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, Moose."

"Yea," Sam said, looking closer, "Yea you do. I got in your head that night. You're different."

"You're a moron."

"You're inching your way back to full on demon, but the pain's still there. I can see it."

"Seeing that you're a pain in my ass?"

Sam smirked at him. Crowley knit his brow in confusion.

"Do you remember what you said that night?"

"Oh please, I told you what you wanted to hear," Crowley spat angrily.

Sam shook his head. "I don't believe that."

"Well bloody good for you!" Crowley yelled as he tried to pull free from Sam's grip.

"You said you deserved to be loved," Sam said, pulling him closer.

"I wasn't aware you swung that way. Big boy like you, are you sure you'll fit? Should we invite Dean? I hear the two of you are very close." Crowley taunted.

Sam glared down at Crowley and then pulled a key from his pocket.

"Now we're talking," Crowley laughed as Sam unchained him from the chair.

He wasn't surprised when Sam wrapped the chains around him and relocked them.

"What now, you Neanderthal?" he asked as he stood before Sam, his arms chained tight to his sides and his legs chained together.

"Now I convince you to help," Sam said as he sat on the table.

Crowley watched him cautiously, and barely contained a yelp when he was pulled over Sam's lap. His eyes shot wide when a painful swat landed on his right cheek.

"Am I an even bigger pain in your ass now?" Sam asked, finding a steady rhythm.

"Very funny," Crowley answered, irritation thick in his voice.

The spanking continued in silence for the next few minutes and, as time went on, Crowley let loose small gasps and grunts of pain. Sam's large, strong hand covered every inch of his ass and Crowley was shocked by how painful it was.

"How is this supposed to convince me?" Crowley asked, "You're forgetting I'm the king of Hell."

"Sure, you can take torture," Sam said, "but what about punishment from someone who cares?"

Crowley's eyes went wide, and he was glad Sam couldn't see his face. "What are you talking about?" he asked angrily.

"You think I could make it through that trial without growing to care for you? Really? How much pain and suffering did it take to make you like this, Crowley?" Sam asked, his hand never stopping.

"Enough! You're more of a fool than I thought if you think this'll work," Crowley said with a worried look on his face. Sam's words were making this hurt very badly.

"Then why are you so upset?" Sam asked and landed a particularly vicious swat to Crowley's thigh.

"Ow!" Crowley yelled as he breathed hard. "Stop it!"

"I'm not lying, I do care - but I also think you've got some punishment coming your way."

"Haven't I been punished enough?" Crowley asked in a thick voice. He wiggled the best he could, but Sam had a firm hold on him.

"What do you think, after all you did?" Sam continued to spank, and each connection was accompanied by a yelled 'Ow!' from Crowley.

"Alright, I'll read the bloody page for you! Just stop!" Crowley yelled in a panicked voice.

"After we're done here."

Crowley's eyes went glassy, "I thought this behaviour was beneath you. The demon blood really did have a lasting effect, didn't it?"

"That's done with and you know it," Sam growled. He landed a series of harsh swats that had Crowley shrieking immediately. "That's not what this is, you know better, Crowley."

Crowley was surprised at how the reprimand stung, and then his fear grew. This really was working.

"I'm sorry, please Sam. I shouldn't of made that crack about the demon blood," he lied. "Baby steps, that's enough for now. Please?"

The softly pleading voice made Sam pause, and Crowley sighed.

"You'll translate the page?"

"Yes," Crowley said with a grin.

"Good, we're almost done then."

"Almost?" Crowley squawked and then he hollered in pain as the spanking resumed.

Sam's hand delivered swat after painful swat as Crowley bucked and yelled over his lap.

"I know you can be saved. I saw it. You can do better than you've done. You can have love..."

"Shut up!" Crowley yelled at him as his eyes welled with tears.

Sam didn't want to reduce Crowley to a sobbing mess. He still needed the translation, and they had plenty of time to work on this.

"I think that's enough for now," he said as he stopped spanking and shook out his hand. He listened as Crowley got control over himself. When Crowley was breathing normal again, Sam set him on the ground, undid the chains and pushed him back into the chair.

"Ah," Crowley hissed as his ass hit the seat and glared at Sam. Other than that, he didn't say anything.

Sam chained him to the chair and pushed the chair back up to the table. He again set the paper in front of Crowley, and Crowley translated it instantly for him.

"Thanks," Sam said.

Crowley inclined his head. "Don't suppose you could tell me how much longer I've got in the naughty chair?"

A smirk tugged at Sam's mouth and he shrugged.

"Mmm," Crowley responded. "Lovely. Imprisoned with no plans for me."

"I wouldn't say that. Now there's a plan for you," Sam said and then walked away.

Crowley looked after him in fear. "Bollocks."