I don't own supernatural. All rights go to Eric kripke.

Someone was trying to break down the door. Dean cracked one eye open, wincing at the sunlight streaming in through the small opening in the curtains. The pounding at the door didn't stop. A quick check around the room showed that Ruby wasn't in bed, or in the bathroom. Suddenly, Dean was alert. His eyes scanned the room for any clue as to where she was. Her belongings were gone, and there wasn't a note in sight.

"Dean!" Sam called from the other side of the door.

Dean rolled out of bed and found his discarded boxers. He yanked them on and opened the door a few inches. Sam looked pissed.

'What the hell? It's ten in the morning." Sam spat. "You didn't come back last night. I called your cell phones like, thirty times and check ten seedy bars!" He pushed his way in and his eyes widened when he saw the mess on the floor.

"Yeah, sorry." Dean rubbed his eyes. "Have you seen Ruby?"

Sam smirked. "Oh the girl that you slept with last night? Nope, I haven't. It must be a refreshing change for you, aren't you usually the one who sneaks out while the girl's sleeping?" He had his bitchface on.

"Shut up." Dean picked up the rest of his clothes off the floor and put them on. "All her stuff's gone."

"Wow. I thought you were supposed to be good in bed."

Dean looked at Sam weirdly. "She left after she slept with me. Ruby ran off after she slept with me."


Ruby leaned against a wall in the deserted parking lot, waiting impatiently for the ride. She had hitchhiked to Illinois, where she called an old friend to take her to Maine. A friend who was currently ten minutes late.

A black sedan pulled up next to the curb. Ruby sighed. Finally. She picked up her duffel bag and slid into the back seat, rubbing her eyes. Too late, she noticed a burly man sitting across from her. He had black skin, black eyes and was wearing a tailored black suit. He practically blended in with the dark interior of the car. The doors locked with a click.

"Hello sweetheart. Alan's a little...preoccupied right now. But I'm here to take you to your destination." A sugary voice purred from the front seat. A petite blonde was sitting in the drivers seat. She glanced back at Ruby through the rearview mirror. "I haven't seen you since the last time we were both downstairs. Of course, I was smart enough not to get sent back. I've missed you." She smiled menacingly.

Ruby's eyes flicked to the doors and then back at the man.

"Don't bother, babe. Markus can have your arm twisted all the way behind you back quicker than you can blink." The girl continued. "The boss wants to see you."

"You know I don't answer to Crowley anymore, Allison." Ruby hissed.

"Oh, darling." Allison sighed sympathetically like she was talking to a misguided child. "We all answer to Crowley. I hope you don't learn that the hard way."


"Cas dropped by this morning. He's having some trouble locating stuff that Daniel might've had." Sam said as he watched Dean stuff his mouth with bacon. "Dean slow down, you're going to choke yourself."

"oh time, we ave oo ind ooby." Dean said with his mouth full. Dean had rushed down to the diner across the street from the motel, trying to eat quickly, insistent on finding Ruby.

"Dean, I'm sure she's fine and she'll be back in a few days." Sam sighed. "We need to do research on this Daniel stuff."

A man in a UPS uniform walked up to their booth. He handed Sam a CD. "This is from Crowley." He said, smiling pleasantly. Sam quickly reached into his coat and grabbed his flask of holy water, splashing it into the surprised man's face.

"What the fuck, man?" The UPS guy shouted vehemently. "What's your problem dickwad?" He snapped as he walked away.

"Sorry!" Sam called. Then he stared at the tape. "This isn't Crowley's usual method, is it?" He asked Dean.

Dean raised his eyebrows and wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I don't know, man, but we should watch it."

Back in their motel room, Sam slipped the disk into his laptop. A video screen came up.

A small, scantily clad blonde was perched on a stool. If it weren't for the tight leather skirt and tiny tank top, she would've looked like the world's most innocent wallflower. Dean made a face. "Is Crowley sending us porn?"

"Hi Winchesters." The blonde said. "I'm Allison. I'm Crowley's right hand demon. It's nice to finally meet you." The camera shifted to show Ruby hanging from the ceiling by her wrists. "As you know," Allison continued. "Crowley has a very important plan. And you two are in his way. All you have to do is stay in your dingy little hotel room for the next 48 hours, and Ruby won't get hurt any more than she already is." Allison paused and took a syringe of clear liquid from her pocket. She jabbed the needle into Ruby's arm and pressed down on the plunger. Ruby jerked awake and shrieked as the holy water started burning through her veins. "Trust me. I taught Alistair everything he knew." Allison winked at the camera.

"Dean," Ruby gasped.

"Oh, she speaks!" Allison gasped, clapping her hands in delight. "Do go on."

"Stay away. The bitch is more twisted than neurotic pretzel." Ruby said, her voice dry and cracking.

"Somebody has to wash out their mouth." Allison chided, and she picked up a bottle of salt from the floor. She forced Ruby's mouth open, and a steady stream of salt flowed into her mouth. Ruby screamed, choking on her own spit and the salt, which was burning its way down her throat and into her belly.

Dean could feel his breakfast coming up his throat just listening to Ruby's screams of agony, but he was immobilized, he couldn't move, his eyes were glued to the screen.

"On the other hand, I've heard that you Winchesters love suicide missions, so Ruby and I are at Warehouse 56 in Mayberry, North Carolina. I'll be waiting." Allison paused, pretending to ponder. "Oh, and Dean? I'm sure Ruby will look so much prettier burning on the ceiling than Jessica did." She winked again and the screen went black.

Dean stared at the blank screen for a few moments. Then he strode over to the table and picked up his keys.

"Dean!" Sam slammed his hand against the door. "No. We can't just go there. We need a plan and reinforcements. You heard her. She's waiting for us."

"She has Ruby." Dean said through gritted teeth. "That bitch is torturing Ruby." Dean said Ruby's name like it was the world's most legitimate excuse.

"I know, and we're going to go get her, but first we need Cas and whatever else we can scrape up. You heard what Ruby said. This demon's dangerous."

Okay, so I know this is shorter than my previous updates, but I've been soo busy since school started, so my updates are going to be a little bit shorter and they'll take a little longer too. I'm applying for boarding school, so that going to be another setback in my writing, but I hope for the best! *fingers crossed* Thanks to all the people who reviewed and favorited. For those of you that haven't, please review and favorite!